The single biggest reason that most people fail to attain their ideal weight is that they get too hungry to stick to the diet they have chosen. Eating less and losing excess body fat do not automatically go hand in hand. In addition, people on restrictive diets get tired of feeling hungry and deprived.
This is, in part, due to the fact that by trying to eat less of your same old favorite foods, or by cutting out particular food groups, it is just too hard to get the nourishment and satisfaction you need. Research has shown that the average person who tries this method of weight control only sticks to their plan for 1-2 weeks before quitting in failure.
No matter how few calories you eat or how much exercise you undertake, you will never lose weight, or more specifically body-fat, unless you learn how to energy balance your life. Until you understand this law of human physiology, and how to make it work for you, you will never achieve your own best personal shape and weight goal.
Using the correct balance of foods you will not only feel satisfied, but your body will begin to find its best shape through enhancement and preservation of your lean muscle mass.
For example, protein, or more specifically the building blocks of protein called amino acids, is an essential component of virtually every cell in the body. However, many dieters cut back on protein in an effort to reduce calories and lose weight. This sort of diet can lead to deficiencies that are not only detrimental to your health but can actually slow down your weight reduction. Protein enables you to maintain and increase your lean muscle mass and will also “fuel” your metabolism for longer and keep your hunger under control.
Eating fat does not necessarily make you fat. It's the body's response to excess carbohydrates in your diet that makes you fat. “Good” fats are vital to the overall wellbeing of your body.
Unfortunately, in today's busy lifestyle, many people eat a dismally poor diet of "fast foods" or pre-packaged convenience meals that are nutrient-deficient. As a result, their cells do not receive the nutrition they need and a person becomes sluggish and weight gain is the result. This type of eating behaviour can also have a number of undesirable health consequences.
So what is the answer? Successful, long term weight loss is achievable, without feeling like you are depriving yourself or feeling hungry. You just need to find a diet that is nutritionally sound and that provides the energy balance that your body needs to function at its peak.
