Why is it so Easy to Gain Weight?

Most people find that gaining weight is far too easy to do, which is why many will end up overweight and in need of losing a few pounds. Unfortunately, losing weight seems to be much more difficult than gaining it in the first place! To lose weight you obviously have to take a more regimented approach to your eating and have a plan of action to help you achieve your weight-loss goal. When you're not really paying attention to your diet or exercise regime, the chances are you will simply eat what you feel like without really worrying about it too much.

Clearly, if you eat food whenever you feel like a snack, because you're bored, stressed, depressed or just want to enjoy eating something tasty, you could quite soon consume more calories than your body requires, which is the main cause of weight gain. It is therefore understandable why so many people find it extremely easy to gain weight. There is so much choice when it comes to the food available and it is generally cheap. When you go shopping and are surrounded by fancy packaging and inexpensive food products, you sometimes buy more than you need.

Instead of going overboard on fruits and vegetables, though, it tends to be the most calorific foods that appeal to you. When you know how tasty and satisfying a bar of chocolate is, you may be less inclined to choose healthier options. You get a buzz from eating food that is high in fat and sugar, as your energy levels get a boost and you feel good, so that later on you may eat more junk food to be able to experience the same pleasant emotions. Obviously, it is harder to stay in control of your calorie intake if you continually graze on junk food all day.

It isn't only the types of food people eat, though, as quantity also plays a part. You can eat a perfectly healthy, balanced diet, but still gain weight if you eat too much food. Even the healthiest options contain calories, so that if you consume three or four apples in one sitting, for instance, you could still end up consuming quite a few calories. At meal times it can be particularly difficult to control your portion sizes, as you don't want to feel hungry later on and so you may end up making too much food, eating it all because you don't want to waste any.

You can't ignore the role that physical activity has to play, either, though, since it is possible to consume more calories than the average recommended amount if you're an active person. If you don't have much spare time or you're lazy, the chances are you won't be doing enough exercise, in which case you can't expect to eat whatever you like without paying the consequences. If you snack throughout the day and eat huge portions at meal times without burning off the excess calories by keeping active, the likelihood is that you will gain weight. It is easy to do, which is why so many people are struggling to keep their weight under control.

What is the Easiest Way to Lose Weight?

There are no easy ways to lose weight, because however you choose to go about it, you basically have to reduce your calorie intake so that you consume fewer calories than your body expends. Whether you go on the cabbage soup diet or just focus on eating healthier, you only achieve weight loss by building up a calorie deficit. Unfortunately, although the theory behind weight loss is easy to understand, actually putting what you know into practice can be slightly tougher. You may want to lose weight, but actually having to stick to a calorie-controlled diet can become a hassle.

It is probably best to avoid going on a crash diet or following any kind of fad diet that is extremely restrictive and requires you to avoid whole food groups. These sorts of diet may help you to lose weight quickly, but they are usually quite complicated to follow and are not designed for long-term use. You may lose weight if you stick to the diet, but you don't have to think for yourself and so when you decide to come off the diet, you are overwhelmed by choice and this tends to be when you make the wrong decisions that make weight maintenance impossible.

It is therefore advisable to concentrate on losing weight at a sustainable rate by eating less at meal times, having fewer snacks, avoiding junk food and alcohol, and increasing the amount of exercise you do. You may not lose weight as quickly as you would if you went on a crash diet, but at least you won't have to starve yourself and feel lethargic and miserable whilst you're doing it. Instead, you simply make a few adjustments to your present diet and exercise routine, so that you form healthier habits that will help with long-term weight control.

Otherwise, you could find yourself going on a diet, losing weight, going back to your normal habits and regaining weight. You will end up losing and gaining weight, finding it increasingly difficult to lose the weight you put back on each time. You therefore have to put an end to this approach to weight management, so that you can lose the weight you need to once and for all. It may still be a challenge to control your calorie intake, but at least you will know how to monitor your calorie intake whilst being able to enjoy the occasional treat without feeling guilty about it or worrying that you could put on weight.

Ultimately, it is about finding balance in your life, because weight loss clearly isn't the only thing you have to worry about. Everyday living is difficult enough without becoming so preoccupied with your weight that it overshadows other areas of your life. You therefore need to keep your weight in perspective and try to find a way to lose weight sensibly where you don't have to give up your favourite foods forever. If you are realistic about how much weight to lose and how quickly you can lose it, you should find that losing weight becomes somewhat easier.

Losing Weight the Easiest Way Possible

Losing weight doesn’t have to be difficult, but many people find that they fall at the first hurdle. They go on a crash diet, lose lots of weight quickly and then wonder why they were unable to maintain their lower weight. Severely restricting your calorie intake may well help you achieve rapid weight loss, but what is the point of depriving yourself for weeks or months at a time when you’re only going to regain any weight you lose, anyway? You would be better off striving for a more sensible rate of weight loss so that you are able to continue living normally.

Do not skip meals
When trying to lose weight you have to find ways of reducing your calorie intake and so it can be tempting to skip meals. You might decide to skip breakfast, telling yourself that you don’t have time to eat, but you will regret it later on in the day. Breakfast is a particularly important meal to eat, because it kick-starts your metabolism and gives your energy levels a boost. If you skip breakfast, or any other meal, the chances are you will end up feeling extremely hungry so that it becomes more difficult to resist the lure of calorific junk food.

Focus on portion control
Portion control is extremely important when you’re trying to lose weight, because it is by managing your portion sizes that you can keep on enjoying all your favourite foods. If you decide to go down the fad diet route to achieve weight loss, you will probably have to give up a wide variety of foods that you may well gorge yourself on once the diet comes to an end. If you opt to lose weight in a sensible way, though, you can still indulge yourself with a dessert or a bar of chocolate during the day. You don’t have to miss out on anything, which means that you won’t obsess about all the foods you’re not allowed.


Keep active
Since weight loss is achieved by building up a calorie deficit, you shouldn’t ignore the vital role that exercise plays in helping you to achieve your weight-loss goal. Of course, you have to make changes to your diet in order to bring your calorie intake down, but the more exercise you do, the more calories you burn and the more calories you are able to consume. It is therefore worth setting aside some time in your day to get active, so that you can treat yourself to a cake or bar of chocolate without feeling guilty about it.

Be realistic
The human body isn’t designed to let go of weight easily and so you have to be patient. You may want to lose 10 pounds in a week, but you would be better off aiming for a pound or two of weight loss, as this is an amount which you should be able to achieve. If you aim to lose a large amount of weight each week, you’re only setting yourself up for failure, as when you fail to reach such a target you may be inclined to give up. You therefore need to concentrate on losing weight sensibly rather than rapidly.