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meera · 19-05-2006, 07:37 PM

Crash diets may help you look lighter on the scales, but the sad truth is that they do more harm than good. With most diets you’ll dump a few kilos of body fluid, which will account for a drop in weight on the scales, but you won’t lose any significant amount of body fat that will stay off over the long term.

When you dump the diet and return to normal eating habits, not only do you regain the fat stores you’ve just lost, but you may even gain a bit extra! This is because whenever you cut back on energy intake you’ll experience a drop in your metabolism, which reduces your body’s ability to burn fat (metabolism refers to the chemical reaction that takes place in your body involving the use and generation of energy). This slow-down means that your pre-diet eating habits represent an excess in calories, so more of what you eat will be stored as fat.

Even worse news…a lowered metabolic rate will increase your hunger signals, so you’ll start to crave high energy foods loaded with fats and sugars – the exact foods you are trying to do without!

Start with one extra gym session and two less fatty meals per week and gradually work towards a lifelong plan for achieving your best weight. Setting goals is an excellent way to keep yourself on track, but make sure your goals are specific and realistic. You’re much more likely to achieve a weight loss goal of 1 to 2 kilograms per month, for example, than the huge weekly losses that many fad diets promote.

Build muscle, burn fat

Make sure you incorporate strength training into your exercise routine if you’re trying to lose weight, because the more muscle you build, the more weight you’ll lose. As you build muscles from strength training, your metabolic rate increases, so you’ll burn more calories all day long. In fact, for each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. Even when you are sitting around or sleeping, your muscle will continue burning calories!

If you’re female and afraid of getting bulky muscles, don’t be. The truth is that women typically don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle build-up.

TIP! Muscle weighs more than fat, so don’t be discouraged if you’re working out and not shedding a lot of weight. Pay attention to how you look in the mirror instead of what the scales say.

When you change the way you eat or exercise to lose weight, make sure it is a routine you can stick to. A good starting point is to become more active and begin thinking in moderation in all you eat and do.

A successful life is about balance, think about it!

What’s the best type of exercise for weight loss?

It’s a common misconception that you’ll burn more fat if you exercise longer at a lower intensity, but the truth is that you’ll burn more fat the more intensely you exercise. The faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you use per minute.

Don’t worry if you’re just starting out and find high-intensity exercise difficult to sustain – simply begin at a lower intensity and slowly increase the level of difficulty as your fitness improves. Remember you’re only competing with yourself, so lay down a personal challenge to do a bit more!

The bottom line is that any exercise routine you enjoy and can stick to is your best option for weight loss.

LINK:
http://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/news/news.as...&intelement=432

19-05-2006, 07:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
meera CEE...mmmmmm Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: London, UK Posts: 299	Dump the diet Crash diets may help you look lighter on the scales, but the sad truth is that they do more harm than good. With most diets you’ll dump a few kilos of body fluid, which will account for a drop in weight on the scales, but you won’t lose any significant amount of body fat that will stay off over the long term. When you dump the diet and return to normal eating habits, not only do you regain the fat stores you’ve just lost, but you may even gain a bit extra! This is because whenever you cut back on energy intake you’ll experience a drop in your metabolism, which reduces your body’s ability to burn fat (metabolism refers to the chemical reaction that takes place in your body involving the use and generation of energy). This slow-down means that your pre-diet eating habits represent an excess in calories, so more of what you eat will be stored as fat. Even worse news…a lowered metabolic rate will increase your hunger signals, so you’ll start to crave high energy foods loaded with fats and sugars – the exact foods you are trying to do without! Start with one extra gym session and two less fatty meals per week and gradually work towards a lifelong plan for achieving your best weight. Setting goals is an excellent way to keep yourself on track, but make sure your goals are specific and realistic. You’re much more likely to achieve a weight loss goal of 1 to 2 kilograms per month, for example, than the huge weekly losses that many fad diets promote. Build muscle, burn fat Make sure you incorporate strength training into your exercise routine if you’re trying to lose weight, because the more muscle you build, the more weight you’ll lose. As you build muscles from strength training, your metabolic rate increases, so you’ll burn more calories all day long. In fact, for each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. Even when you are sitting around or sleeping, your muscle will continue burning calories! If you’re female and afraid of getting bulky muscles, don’t be. The truth is that women typically don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle build-up. TIP! Muscle weighs more than fat, so don’t be discouraged if you’re working out and not shedding a lot of weight. Pay attention to how you look in the mirror instead of what the scales say. When you change the way you eat or exercise to lose weight, make sure it is a routine you can stick to. A good starting point is to become more active and begin thinking in moderation in all you eat and do. A successful life is about balance, think about it! What’s the best type of exercise for weight loss? It’s a common misconception that you’ll burn more fat if you exercise longer at a lower intensity, but the truth is that you’ll burn more fat the more intensely you exercise. The faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you use per minute. Don’t worry if you’re just starting out and find high-intensity exercise difficult to sustain – simply begin at a lower intensity and slowly increase the level of difficulty as your fitness improves. Remember you’re only competing with yourself, so lay down a personal challenge to do a bit more! The bottom line is that any exercise routine you enjoy and can stick to is your best option for weight loss. LINK: http://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/news/news.as...&intelement=432 __________________ Ain't noone in this world like a Bruce....