Secret to Weight Loss

Every day I hear people talking about this weight loss tip, strategy, product, secret, etc…  It really is amazing how so many people can be completely blinded by the fact that their being taken in by creative marketing.  When you buy the pills, devices, clothing, books, and the other junk that is out there you have just purchased an empty promise wrapped in a pretty package with a bow on top.  Companies and people will stop at nothing to guarantee you some “miracle” that will cause the pounds to drop off you.  You either will have to do nothing and see the weight come off or you will only have to work 90 days and the weight will fly off as well.

Occasionally I hear of some success story from someone that bought the DVD’s or something else but they are few and far in between.  99% of the time I end up hearing and talking with people who complain that they spent $$$ on products and haven’t seen any results.  I can also say the same about people who come to the gym and workout but are complaining about not seeing any results.  In years past I was even in these groups so I have some experience and know what I’m talking about here.  I’ve even spent hours with some people going over their eating habits and helping them to tighten it up.  As a result I’ve actually had quite a few successes but also a failure or too.  That’s okay though because you can’t help everyone even if you give them 100%.  They have to want the help bad enough and there’s nothing you can do if something has already defeated themselves.  It comes down to 2 simple things when it comes to weight loss.  Are you ready to find out what they are?  Are you sure?  I can almost guarantee that you already know them and have known them for years.

Here they are: 

1.       Calories In vs. Calories Out

2.       Quality of Calories vs. Quantity of Calories

So now that you know the BIG secret that all the books and other junk want you to pay for let’s break them down.

Calories In vs. Calories Out – It’s no major science trick to understand this principle.  You must burn more calories than you take in on a daily basis in order to lose weight.  The trick is knowing how many to burn in the first place.  Take this number in account; 1 pound of body fat is approximately 3500 calories.  So by the knowing this number you have to reside yourself to burn at least that much a day.  Here’s where people get into trouble though.  They see that number as a definite and strive to burn that.  That’s all well and fine, BUT you have to take into account that number of calories that you’re taking in daily as well.  So, if you want to lose 1 pound a day and have a 2000 calorie diet then your goal should be: 

Example:  2000 calories in – (2000 calories out + 3500 burn) = 5500 calories out

The trick is to burn more than you take in so if you set on losing 1 pound a day and eat 2000 calories of food then you will need to burn a total of 5500 daily in order for that to happen.  It is possible to attain this kind of burn but most of us experience “real life” and it’s just not possible to do that.  The better option would be to break it down into smaller daily increments.  Say you want to work out 5 days a week then you will need to burn 700 calories a day plus what you take in.  The goal is to put your body into a calorie deficit; this is the area where the actual weight loss happens. 

Quality of Calories vs. Quantity of Calories – some people are under the impression that as long as they stay within their calorie goal that their nutrition plan is fine.  This could NOT be farther from the truth.  Weight loss has just as much to do with what you’re putting into your body as well.  Think of your body as a sports car, you wouldn’t put 87 octane in it and expect the same kind of performance as if you had put 93 octane in it would you?  And yes, your body is a high-performance machine whether you think it is or not.  You want to be filling your tank with healthy food choices that will not only keep your metabolism burning but they will also have a physical impact as well.  Think about the last time you ate junk food.  You’ll think that you felt great afterward and having a good time and all.  What happened after that?  Your body crashed from the sugar rush that it was on and you began to feel bad.  If you have instead filled up on some better options like lean proteins, healthy carbohydrates, & essential fats & oils then your body not only would have sustained its energy longer, you would have felt full longer, and you wouldn’t have been left with the sick feeling  from the crash. 

So that’s it.  Now you know the secrets of weight loss and I didn’t ask you to spend a dime or commit to some crazy plan.  The trick for you now is to take what you’ve learned (or re-learned) and put into practice.  If you can do this and make the healthy choices then you’re going to see the weight loss that you want.  It may not happen overnight but it will happen as long as you stay committed to what you are doing.

Challenge Yourself.