Golden Rules of Weight Loss

There is so much information and misinformation available about weight loss, the attempt to sort the truth from fiction and sales hype is overwhelming and confusing. There are a few golden rules of weight loss that always hold true. If a diet plan or product doesn't work under these rules, you can be sure it doesn't work at all.

Calories

• To lose weight, you must use more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating less (fewer calories), exercising more (burning more), or, ideally, with a combination of the two.

Weight Loss Rate

• Healthy weight loss is generally considered one to two pounds a week. Weight loss programs offering faster results are unhealthy and will often see people gaining the weight back, sometimes with added weight.

Fad Diets

• No fad diet is healthy, no fad diet works long-term. Fad diets might result in weight loss simply because you're eating less, but they are nutritionally deficient, and results last only as long as you stay on the diet.

Drink Water

• Drinking water is a golden rule of weight loss. Replace other beverages you drink throughout the day with water. Water has no calories, helps you feel full, helps keep your metabolism going and helps flush toxins from your body.

Lifestyle Change

• The most important rule of weight loss is to skip the diets and create a lifestyle change. Short-term diets will only give short-term results. Learning to eat healthier and making exercise part of your daily routine will promote a healthy weight for life.