Wellness Positive

• Q: If I am on a diet and even if it IS working, what will happen when I go back to my 'normal' eating habits? Will I gain the weight I've just lost all over again?

A: Well, the simplest way to avoid this problem - is to not go on the diet at all!! Surprised? Well, what I mean by that statement is that rather than 'go on a diet' you should make the changes in your eating habits your very LIFESTYLE...

  This is why I recommend moderation when you reduce the amount of unhealthy foods in your diet and switch to more nutritious and less calorie-heavy foods. I'm not saying don't eat chocolate, but don't gorge yourself. I'm not saying don't drink alcohol in moderate amounts, but the accent is on 'in moderate amounts'. I AM saying cut down as much as possible on junk foods that contain a lot of unnecessary calories and thus, result in a lot of excess weight.

  THINK healthy - make it your lifestyle. Don't think 'I'm going to go on a diet' - no, don't go on a diet - make healthy eating your WAY OF LIFE. Begin a new and far healthier lifestyle - eat healthy, exercise well, and you will no longer have a problem with excess weight, because your new lifestyle will, slowly but surely.. just write off that excess weight FOR you.

• Q: I don't seem to be losing much weight despite my best efforts.. Why am I getting results so slowly? - I barely lose a pound a week!

A: It may seem disheartening when you only lose a pound a week, but you should concentrate on the positive, not the negative aspect - you ARE losing a pound a week. Losing weight slowly may make you impatient, but it is SAFE - 'starvation' diets and other gimmicky ways of losing weight fast may seem to give quicker results over the short term, but they are unhealthy, unsafe, and worse, actually ENCOURAGE the return of the lost weight the moment the extreme diet is discontinued. This is because an extreme diet makes the body think that food is scarce, so what the body does is the moment food becomes available again is it immediately 'stores' that food for times of scarcity.. as fat!!!

  Losing weight slow and steady should be considered a GOOD sign - it means your body is ACCEPTING your weight loss program, is losing weight naturally, without strain.. and it also means that the lost weight is (if your keep to your lifestyle changes, and exercise) never coming back!!

• Q: I'm doing a lot of exercise and I've switched to a healthy and nutritious diet, so why am I not losing weight on the scale?

A: If you are really exercising regularly and are sticking to your diet without sneaking snacks on the side, then I'd say that the fact that you don't seem to be losing weight on the scale is excellent news! - it means that you ARE losing fat, but you are ALSO putting on healthy muscle as well. Muscle tissue is denser than fat, so if you are doing a tough exercise and diet routine and your scale doesn't seem to be showing results, then my advice to you is - ignore the scale, at least for a while. Concentrate on your exercise and diet, and you'll SEE a different and better looking you in the best place possible - when you look in your mirror.

  In fact, one of the most important benefits that a good combined exercise and dietary program confers is that such a program builds muscle. And this can be a big advantage, because muscle tissue burns energy faster and more efficiently, so the more muscle you put on, the faster you can burn off that excess weight.

  There are entire articles focused on diet and exercise in the 'weight loss' section of this site, and even articles that tell you how to control your metabolism to help you lose weight faster - consult these, implement them in your life, and you WILL see positive results in your weight-loss efforts.