Losing weight is not exactly an easy task unless you know what to do. So often people try to lose weight incorrectly and get caught in the yo-yo dieting trap of drastically losing weight only to gain it all – and then some – back. It’s frustrating for sure, not to mention incredibly unhealthy.
There are countless opinions on what you should do to lose weight. But keep this in mind: if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you are going to have to change your lifestyle (exercise more, make healthy food choices) for good. End of story. A solid weight-loss program can get you started on the right path.
Where To Start?
You can begin your search on the Internet. Be warned, however, the search results are exhaustive. Dieting is big business and everyone is cashing in, from national commercial programs such as Weight Watchers to tailored individual plans written by a nutrition expert to medical weight loss programs supervised by doctors. Educate yourself, read reviews, ask your doctor, speak with a nutrition specialist – gather all the info you can before deciding which plan you want to try.
Avoid Fad Diets
For the record, steer clear of diet plans that have you eating one thing in excess (like grapefruit or cabbage soup). They don’t work. Ever. Sure you’ll drop pounds quickly because of the extreme deficit in caloric intake (a.k.a. you’re starving yourself), but you will gain those pounds back and you won’t have learned a thing about making healthy choices for life.
Can You Make It a Lifestyle?
One question to ask yourself during the decision making process is whether or not the plan is something you can stick to. Don’t go for plans that are too difficult, too complicated, or too far off the deep end of anything you’ve ever done before. Most important, find a program that uses real food as the basis of the plan. Don't sign up for plans that use packets and pills as a core requirement of the plan. If you discover how to eat real food properly you can continue with this knowledge for the rest of your life.
Ask the Experts
Beware of plans that are created by people who aren’t qualified to write a plan. Being a fitness model or bodybuilder does not qualify a person to be a nutrition coach. Try to find a nutrition coach who has extensive experience and credentials or certifications in nutrition.
Most NUTRISHOP® locations offer free meal plans along with expert advice for losing weight. Nothing beats having an expert available to support and guide you to weight-loss success.
Stick with It!
Lastly, keep in mind that not every plan works for every body. You may have to try different ones to see what works for you. Once you’ve got one that you feel comfortable with and are seeing results, stick to the program and give it all you’ve got. There are many ways to lose weight, but real success means keeping it off permanently.
