There are so many “experts” promoting effective weight loss and more weight loss products on the market than ever. So why are obesity and weight problems on the rise?
The main cause, beyond poor food choices and sedentary lifestyles, seems to be the constant focus on the problem. You can’t not think about what you don’t want to think about without thinking about it. Think about that for a moment.
What this means is that the continuous focus on weight loss is worsening the problem. This causes a cycle of battling with weight and a gradual incline in body fat and psychological issues.
Instead, it makes more sense to take a simpler approach to effective weight loss, one that worked before there were any problems with weight in society. As you have probably heard countless times, prevention is better than cure.
The following are a few simple guidelines to uncomplicated the process and start enjoying life…
Stop focusing on losing weight otherwise it will never happen. Instead, find out the habits of lean, healthy people and model them. Stop weighing yourself and measuring your waist girth.
Get involved in sports and other active pursuits. A few decades ago people didn’t have to go to the gym to be fit. Instead there were weekend sports, chopping fire wood, long walks etc. Get involved in some of this stuff again, it’s not only good for you physically, it’s also good psychologically and socially too. Making going to the gym your sole source of physical activity can be detrimental to you progress because you’re only associating with others who have weight problems. That’s why sports and other recreational activities can make such a huge difference.
Enjoy your food but don’t feed cravings. Many European cultures such as Italy revolve their lives around good food and time with friends and family. So why is it they are mostly lean and healthy? They enjoy good quality food without over-indulgence. The purpose is not to stuff your face and feed a desire, it’s to enjoy and appreciate the food and nourish your body.
Challenge yourself. Instead of making your sole purpose to lose weight, why not set a challenge where weight loss is just an added benefit? Enter a marathon, walk the Kokoda trail, set a goal for a 100 metre sprint time, earn a black belt in Hapkido, your imagination is the limit.
Cut out packaged food. Remember when a week of household rubbish could fit in a small tin trash can? Now we need great big wheelie bins, two of them! Stick to as much whole, natural and unprocessed food as possible. Enjoy a steak and veggie dinner, a good stir-fry, chunky chicken soup, fish and salad, the options are endless and they don’t have to include steamed chicken breast. Just eat as if you’re living off the land again.
Effective weight loss is actually quite simple if you take your mind off it and change a few habits. That’s why as a fitness trainer and athletic conditioning coach I never run “weight loss” programs, however everyone always ends up lean, fit, healthy and often with a new-found interest.
Start right now and make some new lifestyle choices, it’s a lot more fun than current publicity has led you to believe. And you don’t even need the latest ab-king pro or other fancy gimmick.
