Two Provisos To Sustaining Weight Reduction

As mentioned in my last post, behavioural and psychological factors can negatively impact on your ability to effect long-term changes to your weight. Thus, due care should be afforded these factors when planning any sort of diet & exercise program. Before I go into specific strategies for long-term weight-loss, I’d like to highlight that I am providing this information under two key provisos which will help you address weight-loss from a healthier physical and psychological standpoint …


Proviso 1: It’s not a DIET

So you’ve decided to ‘diet’ - let me emphasise that you are not ‘dieting’, but rather making a LIFESTYLE CHANGE. The word ‘diet’ implies a temporary change in eating patterns to influence appearance. However, if this goal is to be permanent then healthy eating must become a permanent feature within your life. While the latest fad diet may help you achieve a reduction in weight-loss, it is what happens after the ‘diet’ has run its course that matters. After all, what’s the use of putting yourself through 12 weeks of deprivation if the end road sees you with a higher body-fat percentage than when you began?


Proviso 2: Fad Diets EWWWW

I detest fad diets which, in my humble opinion, are COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. Strenuous dieting, not supplemented with heavy protein loading of at least 2g per kg will result in significant muscle loss. This means that, while the average ‘fad dieter’ may lose 10kg on a cycle of their favourite program, only 50% of this will come from fat. The other 50% will be comprised of muscle. This sharp drop in muscle (healthy tissue) makes it EASIER for the body to put on fat once they’ve concluded the ‘diet’ and returned to their usual eating habits.