The key to losing weight is to understand how and why people gain weight in the first place. Then understand how to use this knowledge to lose excess weight and keep it off forever.
There is nothing radical or unsafe about this weight loss program. Consult your doctor or dietitian if you have questions beyond what you read here.
This is a weight loss program – not a health food diet. Alfalfa sprouts and rice cakes may be healthy, but I’m not going to eat them, and I’ll bet you won’t either. Look elsewhere for so called “healthy” foods.
Diets don’t work
I was once on a diet that consisted of a bowl of dry cereal for breakfast, a quarter head of lettuce for dinner, and a half a head of lettuce for supper. I hated it. I lost a couple of pounds. Soon as the diet was over I had a big old juicy hamburger and french fries.
Maybe you know somebody who subsisted on fresh peas, carrots, and celery in order to lose weight. Did they keep it off? No, of course not.
The reason is because they changed their natural pattern of eating. Once the diet drudgery is over the dieter reverts to normal – and eats.
Exercise doesn’t work
Exercise is great stuff. We should all exercise more to maintain physical condition. But exercise isn’t good for weight loss. If you’re exercising for weight loss you’re going to hate it. You won’t stick with it. If you have other reasons to exercise, or really like to exercise, then you’ll probably eat more as your body builds more muscle mass. There goes that weight loss. I suppose looking like Mr. Universe has its benefits, but I never got there. Shucks.
Why people gain weight
The human body converts food into energy. The human body needs a certain amount of energy to function at rest and when active. If the body ingests, or eats, more energy (food) than it uses, it will store that excess as fat. You gain weight.
If you weigh 200 pounds it’s because you are eating enough food to weigh 200 pounds. If you weigh 400 pounds it’s because you are eating enough food to weigh 400 pounds. Do you see the pattern? Weigh 100 pounds, it’s because you’re eating enough food to weigh 100 pounds.
I think the height to weight ratio charts and the body mass index (BMI) tables are – crap. Mainly because I would starve to death in order to meet ideal weight for height. Could be wishful thinking on my part. Or denial. I think I’ll stick with crap.
Look into a mirror. See what you look like. Look around. Yeah, yeah…read the damn charts. Do what it takes to determine how much you should, or want, to weigh.
If you weigh more than you think you should then you have no choice but to follow a weight loss plan
Eat what you like to eat
Yep. This is it. Eat what you like. Don’t touch one bean sprout or stalk of celery unless it’s what you want to eat – what you normally eat. You need to eat what you want to eat or you won’t stick with it.
You lose weight by eating less. I love to eat. I used to eat a large pepperoni pizza all by myself. I would eat the biggest bacon cheeseburger on the menu, with lots of french fries. 16 oz. sirloin steak with baked potato, sour cream, and lots of real butter was just an hors d’oeuvre. I have a weakness for fudge brownie nut ice cream. Get thee behind me, Satan!
Ah, but I was overweight. I was eating more calories than I was burning. For a variety of reasons that had to change. I still eat a large pepperoni pizza–two slices at a time. That pizza now covers 4 meals. I still get to eat the pizza and it tastes great! I still eat bacon cheeseburgers, either the smallest on the menu, or cut it in half and take it home. A doggy bag is a thin man’s friend. Or woman, what the heck.
So, that’s it. I told you this isn’t radical. Eat what you want, just eat less of it. You are what you eat.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus NIH