Weight Loss

I have struggled with my weight my entire life off and on. While I am not a physician or medical expert my personal experience has given some key insights into what has worked and failed. Nothing I am going to say here is ground breaking in fact it is probably what you already knew in the back of your mind.

Diets simply do not work. If you think that following a very austere eating plan is going to work in the long term you are probably wrong. I have tried just eating veggies, fasting, high protein, etc. In the end the mind and body will rebel.

So if dieting doesn’t work what should we do?

Count calories and exercise. It is really that simple.

I have lost thirty pounds and maintained it with relative ease by tracking my calories and exercising regularly. My experience of keeping a food journal has made me conscious of how much I am consuming. Finding your caloric budget for your goal and following it is an absolute must to achieve weight loss. Making better food choices is helpful for your health, but is not essential to lose weight. The number of calories is the key. Exercise allows for more calories and makes you feel good. Try to do a mixture of cardio, resistance, and stretch to keep the body healthy.

Being an iPhone junkie of course I use apps to help me with calorie counting. My two favorites are the LiveStrong.com and Tap and Track apps. Of course these apps aren’t necessary, but it does make it easier to track everything. In addition, when you enter your weight, height, and goal they will calculate your caloric needs and then act as a food and exercise journal. Of course my advice should never substitute for the advice of your physician, but I doubt my thoughts are going to be very different.

The formula is simple: calories in need to be less than calories out. Otherwise we get fat.