Three Basic Steps to Losing Weight

If you try to read the fine print at the bottom of any infomercial involving weight loss, you will see a disclaimer either announcing that the ongoing testimonial does not represent typical results, or a number showing the average weight loss when the product is coupled with a sensible exercise routine. If someone claims that a particular program helped them lose sixty-eight pounds in nine months, then look at it another way. Sixty-eight pounds over nine months is slightly less than two pounds a week. And they paid for the privilege.

The truth is, the average weight loss for most people in any structured program is one to three pounds per week. It may not seem like much, but run the figures by the month or the year and you have a total amount that works for many of us. Even two pounds a week equals about eight pounds a month. In three months you've lost twenty-four pounds. After a year, a hundred pounds could be missing from your frame, if indeed you have one-hundred pounds to lose. How many times have you said to yourself, I just wish I could lose twenty pounds before the holiday season?

The first place to start is hold on to your hard earned money. Then go with the basics and common sense. In a nutshell . . . . . no sweets, no snacks, no seconds. It sounds too good to be true, but lets look at some of the particulars surrounding each point.

No sweets. This doesn't mean that you can't have the occasional dessert or cookie. Common sense must rule above all else. However, cutting out all soda pop, bypassing the tray of fudge at work, and turning the other way when passing bakery samples in the grocery store is a good start. Considering that around half of all soft drinks are consumed before noon, at least try to not partake of any sweetened drinks until after lunch, and then try to limit yourself to one. Most soft drinks contain the sweetness equivalent content of nine to eleven teaspoons of sugar. (Imagine yourself eating ten teaspoons of sugar in ten minutes.) The high fructose corn syrup used in most sodas may produce a better bottom line for manufacturers, but it also allows your body to convert the sugars to fat at an accelerated rate. And don't think that artificial sweeteners are much better. Many of them, as well as other glutamate derivatives in low-calorie and no-calorie foods may increase insulin output, which in turn can stimulate faster sugar-to-fat conversion and more fat storage. (See my article on MSG related health problems.)

No snacks. Again, use common sense and don't go overboard. Occasionally you've just got to have a little something to hold you over. One alternative to getting hungry between meals is to eat smaller meals more often, such as five times a day if your schedule permits it. Most nine-to-five jobs don't allow for such changes. During the times of my life that losing a few pounds was a high priority, I found that keeping several different kinds of fresh fruits on hand was critical, especially during the first few weeks. Some of you will argue that fruit is a sweet snack, but it also releases sugar at a slow rate into your body, contains many nutrients and often anti-oxidants, and the extra fiber in your digestive tract is essential for a healthy colon and actually helps with weight loss by keeping the waste elimination process active. Besides, fruit will keep for several hours without refrigeration on a desk, in a purse, or in a lunchbox.

No seconds. This is not as much of a problem as you might think. If you observe any cafeteria or food court, usually (but not always) the people who carry extra weight share some common food consumption traits. They tend to take larger mouthfuls, chewing while guiding their utensil back for the next morsel. Often there is very little hesitation between swallowing and biting into the next spoonful. Speed is a factor here and must be taken into consideration. Your body will tell you when you are full, however, it lags behind many of the other signals sent to your brain. For most of us, if we eat too fast, we will eat too much by the time the stomach/brain connection tells us that we are full. So, slow down. Put your spoon or fork down between each bite to help regulate your speed. Chew your food thoroughly, as this will not only regulate the time between bites, it will also aid in digestion. If done properly these delay tactics will give your brain time to tell you that you don't really need seconds because you are already full. Eating quickly is a learned habit, and it must be purposefully unlearned.

Along with the above suggestions, you can also add a moderate exercise program, which may include no more than an evening walk three or four times a week. It doesn't have to be a heart pounding, sweating up the armpits program. Just become more active than you are now. A support group or support friend may also help. There are many weight loss support groups online. Just don't be tempted to purchase the quick fix alternatives that most of them sell on their sites. When it comes to weight loss, take it slow, and look at the big picture and long-term goals.