Weight Loss Everyday

Trying to lose weight may be the real American pastime. We’ve tried all the diets: cabbage, ice-cream, low-carb, high-carb, South Beach, fruit, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and more. In addition, you may have found yourself enticed to try the latest and greatest weight loss gimmick from the amazing results your friends have experienced since starting to follow their new diet. Unfortunately, you may not be experiencing the same “amazing” weight loss as your friends or those people in the before-and-after ads for different diets.

Some of the diets and programs listed above are doomed to fail. Does anyone really think he or she can eat ice cream at every meal and still lose weight over the long term? Many other food programs and diets are based on sound nutritional science. So why are only some diets, and some dieters, successful? Well, just as we’re not all equally good at painting, singing, or distance running, not all of us can lose weight the same way.

Individualization is one key to success. Even though many programs, such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, use “canned programs,” their counselors and group leaders have been taught to customize the rules to meet clients’ needs. Diets that impose the same expectations on all who follow them are less likely to lead to success because they fail to consider your specific needs or concerns.

How can you make the most of your weight loss efforts?

Avoid following the “diet of the week.”
Remember the key to success is moderation, not elimination.
Make your dietary changes realistic so they can become part of your long-term lifestyle.
Don’t expect a magic bullet. Changes in intake (calories in) coupled with increased physical activity (calories out) are your key to success.
Consider seeing a nutrition professional or registered dietitian who can work with you to customize a diet to meet your needs.