Should Financial Incentives be Used to Encourage People to Lose Weight?

The issue of obesity is one that has been perplexing governments across the globe for a considerable period of time, as people continue to get heavier. The trouble is that being overweight can lead to health problems that force individuals to use health services and which may prevent them from working, and thus contributing to the economy through taxation. Clearly, if the majority of a population is overweight, then a great deal of pressure is placed on health services and this costs money, which is why politicians and health officials have been considering ways to encourage people to address their weight.

The idea is to encourage people to lose weight before they start developing serious health problems and gain so much weight that it is going to take a long time to get back to a healthier size. Of course, preventative measures cost money, too, but it is believed that by encouraging people to lose weight sooner rather than later, money and lives will be saved in the long run. Surely, nobody wants to be fat, so why is it so difficult to get people to lose weight? Well, for a start, losing weight isn’t easy. It takes patience and commitment, which are qualities that not everyone possesses. Plus, people’s lifestyles, today, can make weight loss even more trying. Individuals are working long, stressful hours and relying on convenience meals, fast food, and high-calorie snacks for sustenance.

Unfortunately, to lose weight you have to control your calorie intake and balance it out against your estimated calorie expenditure. If you lead an active lifestyle, you can get away with consuming more calories, but most people don’t. Consequently, if you’re overweight and trying to lose a few pounds, you have to change your eating and exercise habits, but it is difficult to change the way you do things, because everyone has a tendency to stick to what they’re familiar with. So, would financial incentives really encourage people to lose weight? Although there may be some people who are not bothered about being overweight, most people in that situation would prefer to be slim, but just find it such a challenge that they ignore it for as long as possible.

It is therefore difficult to see how offering financial incentives would get people to lose weight in the long run. Of course, in the beginning, the possibility of earning cash for losing weight might encourage people to address their weight. It seems like an easy way to earn money and there is nothing to lose, so why not give it a try? When you’re losing weight at the start and given some kind of financial reward, it is less of a struggle to find the motivation. In the long run, though, you have to want to lose weight for your own sake, not just because you can earn money. There won’t always be a financial incentive there for you to control your weight and so offering cash to encourage people to lose weight is hardly likely to have much impact on obesity rates.

Can You Lose Weight too Quickly?

When you’re continually told that being fat is bad for your health, it is not surprising that you can find yourself turning to various fad diets which claim you will lose huge amounts of weight quickly. It’s hard work losing weight, anyway, and so anything that helps speed up the process is obviously going to appeal to people. Unfortunately, the body is not really designed to facilitate weight loss and so you have to be patient to achieve long-lasting results. This might mean you only lose a pound or two a week, but it also increases your chances of reaching your goal weight and staying there.

It might be possible to lose large amounts of weight at the beginning of a diet, because your body is shocked into losing weight. After eating all you want, your body is suddenly being deprived of calories and the inevitable result is weight loss. Fad diets certainly shake things up, but it’s worth realising that the majority of fad diets might focus solely on drastic calorie reduction, but the implication of not getting enough calories is that you could end up jeopardising your health as well. If you’re told you can only eat certain food groups in order to lose weight, the chances are you will miss out on vital nutrients.

Patience can be hard to find when you’re trying to lose weight, because you’re very much aware of where you are and where you would prefer to be. When you have a substantial amount of weight to lose, you visualise losing the weight within a matter of weeks, so that you can soon go back to eating normally. However, it was probably your normal way of eating that caused the problem in the first place. Fad diets do nothing to get you thinking about long-term weight management, which you can only do through watching your calorie intake and balancing it out against your calorie expenditure.

Ideally, then, you should take this approach to weight loss from the start. You may be able to lose weight quickly on a fad diet, but some of that weight will be the result of water and muscle loss, and you can only stick to such a diet for so long, because it is usually restrictive, which can be bad for your health. It can also become rather soul-destroying, having to eat the same thing day in, day out, and ultimately your motivation levels will decline.

VLCDs might seem like a good idea, as well, as you will lose weight even faster than with other diets, and they’re nutritionally-balanced, but there is also the danger of developing gallstones and of being left with saggy skin. Plus, so many people who go on these diets end up just as heavy, if not heavier, once they stop drinking the calorie-controlled shakes and start eating proper food again.

Clearly, if you’re extremely overweight, losing a significant amount of weight will benefit your health, but it’s also worth bearing in mind that you can lose weight too quickly. If you do lose a large amount of weight extremely quickly, there is a good chance you will just gain it all back, which will mean you have wasted your time for no reason.

When Does it Become Important to Lose Weight?

Although there are various weight guidelines, most notably the Body Mass Index (BMI), which are used to determine whether a person is a healthy weight, or not; everyone has their own ideal. According to your BMI, a measurement which takes into account height and weight, falling between 18.5 and 24.9 makes you a healthy weight. Anything above or below this figure means that you are not a healthy weight and either need to gain or lose weight. However, this covers quite a significant range, and even if you are officially considered a healthy weight, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re happy at the weight you are.

Basically, it becomes important to lose weight when you’re heavy enough for you to be dissatisfied with the way you look, so that it affects your confidence; or it affects your health, and you are unable to live the kind of life you want. If you find your clothes getting tighter, you may not have to buy a whole new wardrobe if you decide to cut down on snacks and exercise more, which is clearly the preferable option. Perhaps you’re considered to be a healthy weight, but are at the higher end of the BMI scale and would like to lose weight and tone up, so that you can look and feel better in the clothes you wear.

There is definitely a superficial element to losing weight. Everyone wants to look good and, in this society, the aesthetic ideal is that of a slender, toned body, rather than an overweight one. Even if you are confident in yourself, it’s hard not to be affected by the images you’re bombarded with on a daily basis. When all you see when you turn on the television or flick through a magazine is images of skinny women, of course this is going to have an impact on the way you feel about yourself. It is one thing to preach body confidence, but it’s quite another to practise it.

More important than the way you look is how you feel and your overall health. At the end of the day, if you’re sick because of your weight and unable to do anything for yourself, it isn’t really going to matter what you look like, is it? If your health is beginning to suffer because of your weight, as is so often the case, then it is definitely worth trying to do something about it. Heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are just a few of the conditions which you are more likely to develop if you’re overweight and obviously it is better to tackle your weight before your health becomes a serious issue.

Losing weight isn’t easy and it might be tempting to put off dealing with it, but, ultimately, if you’re unhappy with your size and it’s affecting your quality of life you need to do something about it, rather than continually making excuses.

Is it Necessary to go on a Diet to Lose Weight?

So many people get caught up in the idea that you have to go on a diet to lose weight, when this isn't always the case. You don't have to go from eating normally to suddenly eating only lettuce leaves and a weird assortment of fruits and vegetables in order to start shedding the excess pounds. Indeed, it is probably best not to, since this is hardly the recipe for long-term weight-loss success. To lose weight and keep it off, you basically have to be prepared to adopt lifestyle changes that will put you in control of your calorie intake; otherwise you may watch your weight continually fluctuate.

Of course, when you're desperate to lose weight, you want to establish in your mind a break between what you were before – unhealthy and overweight – and after – fitter, healthier and slimmer. Yet, making yourself try to follow a fad diet is hardly the solution, since most of the fad diets available are not particularly balanced and losing weight is clearly more than just being skinny and fitting into smaller clothes. You also have to take into consideration the health implications of going on a very restrictive diet and decide whether it's really worth the hassle.

After all, most people who go on a diet find that sooner or later they put the weight they lost back on. Indeed, in a significant number of cases, people actually end up heavier than they were before going on a diet. Clearly, this is not a predicament you want to find yourself in, because it's embarrassing and depressing to lose weight and gain it all back again. You might lose quite a lot of weight quickly when you go on a diet, but then you have to adjust to being slimmer and start eating in a way that will enable you to keep the weight off. Unfortunately, most diets do not prepare you for this.

Consequently, instead of going on a diet to lose weight, it is a better idea to make adjustments to your current habits in order to bring your calorie intake down and your calorie expenditure up. You don't have to swap your three decent meals a day for three bowls of soup – you just have to get used to calorie counting. No food is off limits, as long as you realise that some foods are more calorific than others and that you can only eat smaller portions of higher calorie options. You don't even have to feel hungry all the time, because you can still eat significant quantities of low-calorie foods.

This is helpful, because if you're not hungry all the time, you're less likely to crave high-calorie foods and succumb to the inclination to binge on junk food. It's not only your dietary habits that you have to pay attention to, though, since your activity levels will also determine whether or not you lose weight and if you can keep it off. The more active you are, the more calories you burn and this makes it easier when it comes to meal times, because you can put a bit more food on your plate and still lose weight. Ultimately, it's about getting the right balance between calories in and calories out – something which you need to do whether you're trying to lose weight or maintain.

Why do Some People Lose More Weight Than Others?

Some people stick to a diet, exercise regularly and consistently lose large amounts of weight. For other people, it doesn't seem to matter how much they restrict their calorie intake or increase their activity levels, they only lose a pound a week. It is extremely frustrating when you put so much effort in and don't appear to have your hard work rewarded. When you're feeling demoralised it can be tempting to just throw in the towel, but that won't help you deal with your weight problem. You simply have to accept that different people lose weight at different rates, but why?

For one thing, people have different calorie requirements. Even without factoring in activity levels, a larger frame requires more calories. If you're over six foot and muscular, you will be able to consume a greater number of calories than someone who is just over five foot and not particularly athletic. Clearly, if you are able to consume a greater number of calories it is easier to stick to a diet plan, because you don't have to worry as much about the precise number of calories. If you have a small build, to lose weight you won't be able to eat as much.

Another factor in your calorie requirements is obviously the amount of exercise you do. If you exercise every day or every other day and actually push yourself, you're clearly going to burn more calories than someone who goes for a gentle amble around town a couple of times a month. If you're running or cycling on a regular basis, you will be burning calories while you exercise and for hours afterwards. If you also do some weight training, you will be building muscle and this, too, can help with burning calories.

If you're not losing weight as fast as someone else, it may be that you're not as active as they are or that you simply are not sticking the diet as rigidly as you think you are. Some people have a great deal of willpower and can resist the temptation of chocolate, cake, crisps, alcohol and any other kind of calorific treats. For most people, this is more difficult, and, clearly, if you need to make room in your diet for chocolate or sweets, then this is going to have an impact on how fast you lose weight.

The reason why some people lose weight faster than others is not all to do with people's ability to adopt lifestyle changes and their frame. Gender, genetics and body make-up can also affect the rate at which an individual loses weight. Consequently, it is worth focusing on achieving your own goals and adopting a weight-loss plan which you can follow, rather than comparing your progress to that of other people.

Whilst it might sometimes be useful to embark on a weight-loss programme at the same time as someone else, because you can offer each other mutual support, it is worth bearing in mind that some people are able to lose weight more quickly than others. Therefore, if you're losing weight slower than your friends or relatives, you should try not to become too disheartened and, instead, focus on the positive steps you're taking.

Can a Positive Attitude Help You Lose Weight?

A positive attitude alone won't get you to lose weight, but it can certainly help. If you have a positive attitude you will be less inclined to fail, because even on those occasions when you slip-up, you are able to recognise that weight management is a long-term project. With a positive attitude, you are less likely to give in at the first sign of difficulty, which is important when you're trying to lose weight. Losing weight is difficult enough as it is, without you trying to sabotage your efforts with a negative attitude.

The trouble is that if you fail to adopt a positive attitude when trying to lose weight, you may struggle to stick to a calorie-controlled diet, because you automatically assume that your efforts will come to nothing. You believe that you will fail and so you do. Instead of calorie counting and making time for exercise, you may simply go back to your usual way of eating and stop going to the gym, even though doing this doesn't make you particularly happy. With a positive attitude, you are more likely to have the determination to succeed.

This is clearly important when your aim is to lose weight, because losing weight can take time, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose and you're only losing a pound or two a week. However, with a positive attitude you should be able to focus on the fact that you're losing weight, rather than the fact that you're losing weight so slowly. It might be frustrating to not be able to lose weight as quickly as you'd like, but at least there is a good chance you will be able to keep the weight off, since you won't be alternating between near-starvation and gorging yourself on food.

Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to adopt a positive attitude when trying to lose weight, especially when you know it is going to take so long to reach your goal and will require you to make changes to your usual habits. However, in the long run you will feel much better in terms of both health and self-worth if you tackle your weight, rather than making excuses about why you are unable to. You will no doubt have days where you're not feeling particularly positive and just want to give up, but it is at these moments when you have to take a minute to appreciate how far you've come, so that you don't slide backwards. Overall, a positive attitude certainly won't hurt your weight-loss efforts.

Is it a Waste of Time to Try to Lose Weight?

If you're overweight you face an increased risk of developing certain health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes, which is why it definitely isn't a waste of time to try to lose weight. The trouble is that many people lose weight by going on a crash diet and then gain it all back again as soon as they go back to eating normally. Of course, you're bound to think that it's a waste of time trying to lose weight if you end up just as heavy, if not heavier, after coming off a diet. It is therefore important that you go about weight loss the right way.

It might be tempting to tell yourself that it's a waste of time trying to lose weight and that you'll only end up as heavy as before, because this gives you an excuse to avoid tackling the situation. However, this will not alter the fact that you're miserable about being overweight or that your health could begin to suffer if you continue to pile on the pounds. You therefore need to be positive about the opportunity you have to lose weight and to keep it off, rather than dwelling on past failures and trying to convince yourself that you will always be fat.

If you've gone on diets before in order to lose weight, only for the weight to return with a vengeance, this clearly isn't the path you want to take again. Instead, you need to find a way of embracing lifestyle changes that will facilitate weight management. You have to learn to get the right balance between the number of calories you consume and the number of calories you burn, so that you can lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, depending on whether you have reached your goal yet or not. This is better than trying to more-or-less starve yourself for weeks at a time.

By getting used to counting calories and increasing the amount of activity you do, you should be able to lose weight without too much difficulty. There will no doubt be the occasional slip-up, but it won't take you long to recover and to get back to it. You may not lose weight as rapidly by taking this approach as you would by going on a crash diet, but you will have a better chance of keeping it off. Your body won't end up in starvation mode and desperate for extra calories and you will be in a more appropriate frame of mind to exercise control over your eating.

Losing weight can increase your life expectancy and reduce your chances of developing a multitude of serious health conditions, so trying to do something about your weight is a good use of time, rather than a waste. Losing weight can also give your self-esteem boost and make you feel more confident in yourself, which is also a positive thing. It is never a waste of time to try losing weight, but you obviously have to approach weight loss as in a sensible way, with a view to keeping it off in the long run. If you aim to lose weight too quickly, you may be happy with the initial results, but then be disappointed when you regain every pound you lost.

Is Calorie Counting the Best Way to Lose Weight?

The only way to lose weight is by reducing your calorie intake, as you have to build up a calorie deficit in order to notice a difference when you step on the scales. Consequently, it would seem to make sense that calorie counting is the best way to approach weight loss. However, many people seem to think of counting calories as a bit of a hassle, which is why they usually end up going on a diet that promises the world and yet fails to deliver. Ultimately, fad diets only work whilst you follow them and do not help you to control your weight.

Thus, you may not have to count calories when you're on the cabbage soup diet, but that's only because the soup is so low in calories that you're bound to lose weight as long as you stick to it. You don't have to consciously think about counting calories when you're on such a restrictive diet, but what about when you come off the diet? If you simply go from being on a diet to eating whatever you feel like, then you're only going to put on all the weight you lost. You've basically starved your body of calories and then you end up re-feeding it.

At the end of the day, you're going to have to get used to counting calories if you want to be able to control your weight in the long run. You might be able to lose weight quickly by following a fad diet, but you won't adopt the habits needed to maintain a healthy weight. The only way you can do that is by learning to control your calories. This means that you have to know what your calorie requirements are, so that you can adjust your diet to include more or less calories, depending on your activity levels. The more active you are, the more calories you are able to consume without worrying about weight gain.

Reducing your calorie intake is the only way to lose weight and so, clearly, counting calories can help with this. By calorie counting, you should be able to eat a wide variety of different foods, because you can adjust your portion sizes, depending on the calorie content. When you go on a diet, you usually have to stick to a very limited range of foods, which means that you miss out on vital nutrients. It also makes it harder for you to stick to the diet, because there are certain foods you're not allowed to eat, and this can make it a challenge for you to socialise with friends and to prepare family meals.

Calorie counting often involves trial and error because it isn't always easy to get the balance right, but at least you don't have to starve yourself to lose weight. There are plenty of online calculators which can help you ascertain your calorie requirements, so that you can formulate your own meal plans. The best thing about calorie counting is that no food or drink is off limits – it is all about practising moderation and learning to stay within sensible boundaries. Even if you do go overboard now and again, at least you can quickly get back on track. That is why calorie counting is the best way to lose weight – because it is also the best way to keep the weight off.

Will Skipping Breakfast Help You Lose Weight?

Studies often show that people who regularly skip breakfast are more likely to be obese. This doesn't necessarily mean that skipping breakfast is going to make you fat, but there has to be a reason why those who always eat breakfast are able to control their weight more effectively than those who choose to miss it. Yet, despite the link between skipping breakfast and obesity, many people continue to skip the most important meal of the day in the belief that it will help speed up their weight loss. If you are someone who skips breakfast to try to lose weight, you might want to think again.

After all, you may need to reduce your calorie intake to lose weight, but do you really reduce your calorie intake by skipping breakfast? You may not eat anything when you get up, but there is a good chance that you will be extremely hungry by mid-morning or by the afternoon. You will probably be irritable and lethargic and not in the right frame of mind to make good dietary choices. When you're hungry and miserable, it is tempting to reach for foods that give you a boost, which usually means junk food. If you have a sweet tooth, it may be chocolate you gorge on, whilst if you prefer savoury treats you may eat lots of crisps or pies.

When you feel extremely hungry, you generally eat very quickly to fill the hole in your stomach, without being able to appreciate that you're full. Consequently, you could quite easily eat more than you need and consume more calories than you actually use. Skipping breakfast will not save you calories in the long run if you make poor dietary choices later in the day. The trouble is that you tell yourself you can have an extra chocolate bar or packet of crisps, because you didn't eat any breakfast, which means you soon make up for any calories that you would have saved.

Besides, breakfast gives you an opportunity to eat something healthy, from wholemeal toast to porridge and fruit. You will probably get more nutrients from sitting down to eat a proper breakfast than by grabbing a couple of snacks when you're on the go. After sleeping for eight hours or so, your body needs some fuel to kick it into gear. Eating breakfast provides you with the energy you need to get ready for work; to take the kids to school; and to be able to concentrate at work. It is therefore important not to underestimate the importance of breakfast.

Losing weight obviously requires you to reduce your calorie intake, and so it might seem like a good idea to skip breakfast to help you do this. However, depriving yourself of breakfast is unlikely to help in the long run, because you won't have any energy to concentrate and you will most probably feel down and depressed during the morning, so that it becomes more of a struggle to stick to a calorie-controlled diet. Ultimately, skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight and could even make it harder, which is just what you don't need.

Why Determination is Needed to Lose Weight

Determination is needed to lose weight, because losing weight isn't easy. To get the results you want, you have to be prepared to work at it. This means counting calories for weeks; months; maybe even years. It means you have to make changes to your diet and start getting more exercise, which can be a challenge when it's not something you're used to. If you have a lot of bad habits, such as serving huge portions at meal times, snacking on junk food throughout the day, and not bothering to exercise, you obviously have to be prepared to change in order to reach your weight-loss goal.

Without determination, it becomes so much easier to give up on your weight-loss plans and go back to what is familiar to you. If you're not determined to succeed when it comes to losing weight, you may find that all those bad habits you've tried to get rid of make their way back into your life. Clearly, if you have quite a bit of weight to lose, it's going to take more than just a couple of weeks to get down to your ideal weight, and so you need to stay focused on eating right and exercising regularly. If you're determined enough, you will continue to do what is necessary to lose weight, even if it is somewhat of a hassle.

When you have determination to succeed, you don't start making excuses about why you should give up, which is incredibly easy to do when you're struggling with healthy eating and wavering about whether to continue on your weight-loss journey or not. Thus, you are more likely to actually keep making the effort to watch your portion sizes, make healthier food choices, snack less and exercise more. It might take you a long time to reach your goal, but your determination keeps you focused on what you need to do to succeed and you don't allow anything else to get in your way.

It is particularly useful to have determination when you don't seem to have any support from friends and family. Sometimes, those closest to you are not as helpful as you would like them to be and can actually undermine your efforts and make you more inclined to give up. With enough determination, though, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to, including weight loss. It is difficult to imagine that you will be able to lose enough weight to reach your goal without an appropriate amount of determination, since this attribute is so critical to possess when you have to completely overhaul your attitude towards food and exercise.

Lose Weight the Simple Way

Losing weight doesn't have to be difficult, unless you allow it become so. You don't have to follow a diet plan that tells you some weeks you can eat carbohydrates, other weeks you can't, and provides you with a list of foods to avoid at all costs. At the end of the day, you are only going to lose weight if you build up a calorie deficit, which you do by reducing your calorie intake so that you consume fewer calories than you burn. Consequently, you may also decide to increase the amount of exercise you do so that you can eat more or to speed up your weight loss. You certainly don't have to starve yourself to achieve your weight-loss goal.

When you're desperate to lose weight you may end up believing anything, though. You want to be able to lose all your extra weight as soon as possible, and so you're prepared to experience the inconvenience of preparing specific meals and feelings of hunger. As long as you step on the scales and lose a few pounds each week, it is worth the suffering you have to endure! However, if you're losing weight too quickly, the chances are your weight loss will slow down, anyway, and this is when it becomes more of a challenge to motivate yourself. Sometimes, the temptation to binge on junk food is just too great and so you succumb.

A better way to approach weight loss is to get used to calorie counting. It isn't as difficult as you might think. You just need to have a rough idea of the calorie content of the food you eat, so that you can make sensible choices. If you know what you're eating is high in calories you obviously have to eat less of it or choose a less calorific option instead. Your focus has to be on reducing your calorie intake during the day, which may encourage you to skip meals. However, you don't want to do that, as this can mess up your metabolism. Instead, you need to eat regularly, but make sure that you don't serve huge portions and that you don't simply waste calories on junk food.

Plus, it is important that you don't overlook the importance of exercise, since getting more active will help to speed up your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn. In the long run, you will find it much easier to maintain a healthy weight if you combine an active lifestyle with a calorie-controlled diet. The same goes for when you're trying to lose weight. It is simple to understand, as the idea when you're trying to lose weight is to give your body less fuel so that it is forced to use up its fat reserves. When maintaining your weight you simply need to make a few adjustments so that you burn as many calories as you consume.

Lose Weight Without the Hassle

Losing weight is always going to seem like a hassle if you approach it with a negative attitude, because somewhere in the back of your head you're convinced that failure is inevitable. It also doesn't help that instead of approaching weight loss in a sensible way, you aim for ridiculously fast results. The only way to lose large amounts of weight quickly is to go on a meal replacement diet or find a fad diet which severely restricts your calorie intake. Overhauling your eating habits in such a way is bound to be a hassle, because there is no way you can lead your normal life. You can't celebrate your birthday at a restaurant or enjoy a meal with friends.

Consequently, to lose weight without the hassle you have to adopt sensible eating habits that will help you in the long run. You don't have to go on a starvation diet to achieve the results you want. It may take you a bit longer, but at least you can still enjoy your food! You won't have to subsist on a diet of shakes and soups that do nothing to fill you up. You may still crave sweet, sugary treats, but on a calorie-controlled diet you can still partake of them. You don't have to deprive yourself of any type of food, which means that you don't have to become obsessed with all the foods you are apparently not allowed.

To lose weight without the hassle, you have to look for simple ways to reduce your calorie intake. This shouldn't be too difficult, as there are plenty of opportunities to do this. Instead of eating a large breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as numerous snacks during the day, you can reduce your calorie intake by serving up smaller portions and eating fewer snacks. You may have to measure out your meals to ensure that you don't overdo it, but you will soon get the hang of it, so that eating less will start to come naturally to you. Another way to lower your calorie intake is to substitute calorific foods for less calorific alternatives, so that instead of eating chocolate as a snack, for instance, you opt for an orange.

You can still enjoy chocolate and other calorific treats, but you have to eat them in moderation. It is also a good idea to increase the amount of physical activity you do, as this will ensure you keep losing weight without having to give up your favourite foods. It might seem like a hassle at first, but eventually you will learn to appreciate the benefits of leading an active lifestyle. Not only will it help you lose weight; you will also look and feel healthier. Overall., then, losing weight doesn't have to be a hassle, as long as you make subtle alterations to your diet and exercise habits, rather than going on a diet that leaves you feeling permanently hungry and miserable!

Is it Possible to Lose Weight Without Going on a Diet?

The only thing you need to focus on when trying to lose weight is building up a calorie deficit. This means reducing your calorie intake and increasing your calorie expenditure, so that your body is forced to rely on its fat reserves. You don't necessarily have to go on a diet to lose weight, as with dieting the whole emphasis is on calorie reduction. Instead of learning to get the balance right between calorie consumption and calorie expenditure, there is a tendency to become obsessed with reducing your calorie intake more and more, which isn't always healthy.

Indeed, when you decide to lose weight by going on a diet, there is a good chance it won't be a healthy, well-balanced diet you go on, but rather a diet which cuts out whole food groups. You will no doubt get a list of instructions telling you what foods you can and cannot eat and the trouble is that you usually end up focusing on all the foods you're not allowed. Depending on the type of diet you choose, you may feel hungry and lethargic and struggle to do the things you normally do, because you simply do not have the energy.

You console yourself with the fact that you can achieve rapid weight loss, though, and for awhile you are motivated enough to continue. Eventually, though, you will deviate from the plan and it is whether you can get back to it or not which will affect whether you carry on losing weight or you just give up altogether. Even if you do reach your weight-loss goal, though, you will probably go back to your usual eating habits afterwards, and this will cause you to regain any weight you lost. Thus, going on a diet may not be the solution to a weight problem, after all.

Rather than going on a diet, you should concentrate on reducing your calorie intake sensibly. You can do this by reducing your portions at meal times, consuming fewer snacks, cutting out as much junk food as possible, and by avoiding alcohol. You can still enjoy your food, as you don't have to live on soups or salads to achieve weight loss, which will make it easier to control your eating habits in the long run. You will get used to making adjustments to your diet, which should reflect your calorie requirements, and you won't become obsessed about everything you're not allowed, since no food is off-limits.

Plus, as well as learning to control your calorie intake, you need to consider the number of calories you burn each day, so you can take steps to increase that number. This basically means getting more active and doing some exercise every day, since this will help you to burn calories and build lean tissue. By making exercise a normal part of your life, you will find that you can consume more calories without gaining weight, and that losing weight and weight maintenance become much easier.

Overall, then, it is possible to lose weight without going on a diet, as when you go on a diet it is usually only a temporary measure. By increasing your activity levels and making a real effort to control your eating habits, you will be able to lose weight without having to miss out on any particular type of food. You may not lose weight as quickly when you eat sensibly and exercise regularly as you would if you decided to go on a crash diet, but you have a good chance of being able to keep it off, which is surely more important.

The Importance of a Positive Attitude When Trying to Lose Weight

It is important to adopt a positive attitude when you're trying to lose weight, as if you are negative about the whole thing, you are more likely to fail. If you don't have any self-belief and automatically assume that any attempt you make to lose weight is futile, you could find yourself taking steps that increase the chances of failure. If you adopt a positive attitude, however, you will find that it isn't as difficult to stay motivated, because you actually believe you have a chance to succeed. You will no doubt encounter days when you feel like giving up, which is when you really need to stay positive.

If you're overweight as a result of comfort eating, it is even more important to remain positive, because if you give into negativity, you may not have the strength to fight off your inclination to binge on junk food. When negative thoughts creep into your mind, especially when they relate to the likelihood of your success, you may start to wonder what the point of it all is. This is when you may decide to abandon your weight-loss plan, even though you're still overweight and continue to be unhappy with your size.

You don't have to give up, though, as long as you can focus on the positive aspects of your weight-loss journey. By losing weight, you are taking steps to improve your health and your appearance, which should give your confidence a boost. For once, you are in control of the food you eat, rather than being controlled by the emotions which drive you to eat. Even though it can sometimes be a challenge to stick to a calorie-controlled diet when you're not used to watching what you eat, you can at least hold on to the fact that after losing some weight you are already able to walk farther than before and fit into smaller-sized clothing.

At the end of the day, if you approach weight loss in a sensible way, you can still drink the occasional glass of wine and enjoy eating a chocolate bar now and again. As long as you don't feel deprived of anything when you're trying to lose weight, it will much easier for you to continue losing weight until you have reached your goal. Having learned to control your eating behaviour, you will also find that it is possible to maintain your healthier weight. It will take time for you to reach your goal, though, which is why you really need to stay positive.

Everyone has 'down' days when they're trying to lose weight, especially when they have failed to maintain a healthy weight after losing weight in the past. However, you shouldn't let your past weight-loss failures prevent you from committing yourself to another weight-loss plan and taking steps to change the situation. Ultimately, it is better to approach weight loss with a positive attitude than to be negative the whole time, as your motivation levels will remain high and you will have less of an excuse to give up trying.

Finding the Motivation to Lose Weight Yet Again

It is amazing just how many people commit themselves to a weight-loss plan, having dieted many times before and never managing to have any success. You would think that finding the motivation to lose weight yet again would be hard to come by, but it seems that people aren't lacking motivation, but rather the tools that are needed to maintain a healthy weight. It is relatively easy to declare that as soon as the New Year arrives you intend to lose weight. You may even be able to stick to a calorie-controlled diet for awhile, but eventually you grow tired of eating the same food and restricting yourself, which is when you usually give up.

The trouble is that you often regain all the weight you worked so hard to lose in the first place. This makes you feel bad about yourself, because you hate the way you look and you're fed up with not being in control of your weight. It is embarrassing to be in a situation where you are once again overweight, having received so many compliments on your previous weight loss. Somewhere in the back of your mind there is a voice telling you that you know you can lose weight and that, eventually, when you can be bothered, you will do something about it. You just need to find the right time, which is why so many people go on a diet in the New Year, as they see it as a fresh start.

There's certainly no point attempting to lose weight if you don't have any motivation, as you simply won't bother to stick to a diet properly. This will affect your weight loss and if nothing goes to plan, you may become disheartened and comfort yourself with food, even though this just leaves you feeling more miserable. You therefore have to consider the reasons why you want to lose weight and give yourself sensible goals to aim for. If you focus on what you want to achieve from losing weight, you may find it easier to keep going on those days when you feel down and are thinking about quitting.

Good reasons to want to lose weight include for the sake of your health and so you can feel more confident about the way you look. Losing weight will give you a chance to do all the things that being overweight or obese is stopping you from doing, and so you need to stay focused on achieving your goals so that you can fit into smaller clothes and run a marathon, if that is what you want. You also have to go about weight loss in a sensible way. Clearly, if you have gone on various diets in the past that have helped you shift your excess weight, but not enabled you to keep the weight off, you may need a different plan of action.

Rather than concentrating on rapid weight loss that you achieve by more-or-less starving yourself, you should aim for sustainable weight loss, as losing one or two pounds a week means you can still feed yourself properly. If you learn to control your calorie intake whilst losing weight, it will be much easier for you to do the same thing once you reach your weight-loss goal, so that you can keep the weight off. Making time for exercise will also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is why you should get more active at the same time as making changes to your diet. Ultimately, if you're motivated enough to succeed; you will.

Is There Any Point Trying to Lose Weight?

Losing weight may be a worthwhile thing to do, but it often doesn't seem like it. The trouble is that you have to overhaul your lifestyle, making sure you watch what you eat and exercise regularly, which can be a real hassle. Even though you lose weight, you never seem to lose it as quickly as you would like to and, besides, there is always the thought in the back of your mind that you will simply end up putting all the weight back on, anyway. Unfortunately, you might be right, as the majority of people who lose weight regain some, if not all, of the weight they lose. Some even end up heavier than when they started!

Clearly, you don't put yourself on a diet with the intention of ending up heavier than you were to begin with and so you may wonder whether there is actually any point in trying to lose weight when there is a good chance it will end in failure. However, this is not the right attitude to take, since believing that you are going to fail only increases the likelihood that this will be the case. Of course, it is entirely possible that you can successfully lose weight and keep it off, but you have to be realistic about how much weight you can lose and go about your weight loss sensibly.

If you go on a crash diet, you will simply send your body into starvation mode. You may lose weight for a couple of weeks, in the form of water and muscle mass, but what happens when you go back to eating again? The answer is obviously that you simply pile on the pounds again. If your weight has been yo-yoing for a long time, it might be difficult to get out of a mindset which leads you to alternate between dieting and eating 'normally'. If you regularly switch between virtual starvation whilst on a diet and overindulging when you're not, it is bound to be difficult to manage your weight.

You therefore have to get used to the practice of moderation. When it comes to eating and drinking you have to moderate your behaviour, whilst also giving yourself time in the day to exercise. Just because so many people struggle to maintain their weight, doesn't mean that this is going to be the case for you. It might be hard to find the motivation to try to lose weight when you believe you're going to fail, but it is worth considering all the benefits of achieving weight loss, as there are plenty of them.

By losing weight, you could increase your life expectancy and reduce your chances of developing diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, heart disease, amongst other serious medical conditions. Losing weight can also help you to feel more confident and give your self-esteem a much-needed boost. You will be able to find clothes that flatter your figure and you don't feel you have to hide away as much, since rather than being on the receiving end of criticism for being overweight, you are more likely to be complimented on your weight-loss success.

Losing weight can be a challenge, especially when you know that reaching your weight-loss goal isn't going to be the end of it and that you are going to have to take action to manage your weight in the long run, but it does benefit you in a number of important ways. Thus, although it might be tempting to tell yourself that there is no point in trying to lose weight, since you usually just end up heavier, the reality is that if you lose weight sensibly, you will actually be able to appreciate that trying to lose weight is a positive step to take in your life.

Accepting it is Within Your Power to Lose Weight

It is understandable why you may be pessimistic about your chances of losing weight and keeping it off when you consider how many other people fail to reach their weight-loss goals. However, you shouldn't let this put you off trying to do something about your weight when failing to take action could result in you continuing to pile on the pounds. It might be hard to stay positive all the time and sometimes you may feel that you have absolutely no control over your eating and that you're always going to be fat. The reality, however, is that you do have the power to lose weight!

You simply have to change how you approach weight loss. If you tell yourself you're going on a diet and joining a gym that you're going to use every day, you may struggle to succeed, because this is so alien to you. Instead of trying to abruptly change your routine, you may find it easier if you alter some of the habits you already have, so that you continue losing weight in the long run. If you put yourself on a very-low calorie diet and try to do lots of exercise, you will constantly feel as though you have very little energy and you may pick up coughs and colds frequently, as well as injuries.

Consequently, it won't be too long before you're back to eating high-calorie foods and spending too much time in front of the television. When you regain the weight you lost you can become convinced that you're just one of those people who is going to be overweight forever. You are despondent about being overweight and it is hard to find the motivation to tackle your weight again when you believe that you're going to end up just as heavier, if not heavier, than before trying to lose weight. Clearly, yo-yo dieting is far from ideal, which is why you have to aim for sustainable weight loss.

Rather than trying to transform your eating and exercise habits overnight, you can take simple steps that are easy to implement. Thus, for instance, you should try to eat regularly to ensure you don't end up bingeing on food because you're extremely hungry; you have to reduce your portion sizes at meal times and try not to eat too many snacks – especially if you have a habit of reaching for junk food. It is also worth increasing your activity levels, but you don't necessarily have to join a gym to reap the benefits of exercise. Deciding to walk or cycle to work is a start and as you lose weight and become fitter, you may find yourself actually wanting to take up a sport or join a gym.

When you're overweight and have been struggling with your weight for a long time, it is easy to lose faith in your ability do something about it. However, the reality of the situation is that you do have the power to lose weight, as long as you are prepared to make some changes to your lifestyle and to be patient. The results you want will come eventually.

The Importance of Acknowledging That You Need to Lose Weight

If you're overweight and heading towards the obese category (according to your Body Mass Index), it is important to acknowledge that you could do with losing some weight. If you continually avoid the issue of your weight, preferring to tell yourself that you're merely curvy and that men love women with a bit of meat on their bones, you are just storing up problems for later on. Even if you have high self-esteem and are confident about the way you look, there is no getting away from the fact that the heavier you are, the greater the health risks. It therefore makes sense to lose weight before you encounter any serious problems.

Of course, it is tempting to simply ignore the extra weight you're carrying, because tackling your weight head-on can be a challenge. You try to tell yourself that you don't actually look that bad and that you could easily do something about your weight if you really wanted to. However, you know how much effort you have to put into losing weight and most of the time you just can't be bothered, especially when your husband tells you that he finds you attractive whatever your size. Unfortunately, if your bad habits get worse, you could continue to put on weight.

As you get heavier it becomes increasingly difficult to like what you see when you stand in front of the mirror. All you are able to focus on is the extra folds of skin and lumps of fat. You might have difficulty finding clothes that fit and even when you do, they may not look as good on you as you would like them to. It is not only about how you look, though, as you may also start to encounter health problems. You may feel as though you have very little energy and experience knee and back pain because of the extra weight you're carrying. If you continue down this path, it could become extremely hard to lead your normal life, which will, no doubt, affect your confidence.

You therefore have to acknowledge that it is time you lost weight, so that you can avoid getting so heavy that you rarely leave the house because you either can't stand other people staring at you and the embarrassment this causes or because you are physically unable to move yourself. Acknowledging that you need to lose weight is only the first step to getting you back on the right track in terms of your health, but at least it is a positive one. It is certainly better than pretending that your weight isn't an issue, especially if you seem to be unable to stop gaining weight, because even if your weight isn't a problem now, it could soon become one.

Why do People Need Support When Trying to Lose Weight?

It might well be possible to lose weight on your own, without any kind of support and encouragement, but it certainly makes the whole process easier knowing you have others whose support you can rely on. Losing weight requires you to make changes to your lifestyle and since you cannot simply remove everyone from your life, it helps if those you care about understand what you're trying to do and are supportive, rather than trying to sabotage your efforts. The last thing you need is a family member or friend trying to derail your weight-loss plans when losing weight is already challenging enough.

If you're married with children, it becomes trickier to simply eat what you want, when you want and to exercise every day, as you have to take into consideration other people in your household. You may be the person who cooks all the meals, so that you are able to control what everyone eats, but if your children eat at different times and eat different things, you may find yourself nibbling on their leftovers. Plus, you may buy some chocolate and treats for your children or partner, even though knowing they are there tempts you into bingeing on foods you would be better off avoiding.

It therefore makes sense to get your family on board, so that they know how serious you are about losing weight. You have to let them know how things are going to be from now on and try to encourage them to follow a healthier eating plan. It isn't just your immediate family who can make weight loss difficult, though, especially if you often visit your parents and other relatives. If they don't know you're trying to lose weight you can find yourself being pressured into eating cakes and more food than you should just to keep everyone happy. Ideally, if you told your relatives about your weight-loss plans you would be able to count on their support.

This support isn't always forthcoming, though, and so you may have to look elsewhere for support. Perhaps, your family don't see your weight as a problem and are making weight loss more difficult, or you live alone and you have no one to confide in. If this is the case, it might be worth considering joining a slimming group, as you will find support from other members who are experiencing exactly the same difficulties with food. You are able to support each other through the highs and lows and educate yourself about the best way to go about weight loss. Knowing that you are not alone in your struggles can really help you to stay focused on achieving your goals, which is why having a support network in place is so important.

Can Exercise Help You Lose Weight?

Exercise should, in theory, be able to help you lose weight, since the more active you are, the more calories you burn. However, it is easy to overestimate the number of calories you burn when you exercise, which may lead you to overeat. Instead of losing weight, you could find yourself gaining weight if you regularly decide to 'treat' yourself whenever you go for a half-hour run or take a trip to the gym. It might be tempting to believe that the extra weight comes from building muscle mass, since muscle is heavier than fat, but you generally know when it is actually the result of your poor diet.

It is important to exercise on a regular basis, regardless of whether you need to lose weight or not, but if your main intention is to lose weight you obviously have to take into consideration your diet. The only way to lose weight is by burning more calories than you consume, something which exercise can help you achieve. By exercising every day or every other day, you are able to consume a few more calories each day and still lose weight or lose weight at a faster rate. This only works if you are realistic about the number of calories you are burning during your exercise sessions, though.

If you go for a gentle walk two or three times a week, you will not burn as many calories as you could if you decided to go for a high-intensity run five or six times a week. You therefore need to recognise that not all forms of exercise are equal and that the intensity and length of your workouts will affect the number of calories you burn. Consequently, if you only partake in low-intensity exercise every few days you can't treat yourself to high-calorie treats every time you feel you deserve a reward for your effort, especially if you haven't really put that much effort in.

Although you should eat something after a workout, you should opt for a healthier snack or meal with the right balance of carbohydrates and protein to replenish your energy stores and help repair the muscles you have damaged whilst working out. Clearly, taking a stroll around the park doesn't really constitute a proper workout. It may help you to burn a few extra calories, but not enough for you to worry about muscle damage! Even if you engage in high-intensity exercise, pushing yourself so much that you're left out of breath, you still can't just eat whatever you feel like afterwards.

All in all, it is worth making time for exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight. By keeping active you will improve your heart's health and reduce the likelihood of developing serious health conditions, such as diabetes. Plus, after exercise you are left feeling more positive and better able to cope with stress, which is extremely important when you're trying to lose weight and struggling to find the motivation to continue. Exercise can also speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories, but if you are serious about losing weight you cannot rely on exercise alone; you also have to make some changes to your diet.