Is there a secret to losing weight? There are certainly plenty of people trying to do so, but few really succeed - not if you measure success to mean not only losing weight but keeping it off long term.
In the meantime there are plenty of companies getting rich selling diet plans, magazines, diet pills, slimming aids and various other products, all claiming to have the answer.
So if you are set on losing weight, what is the best way to go about it? There are several strategies that can help you to be successful in the long run:
- Question everything: Manufacturers frequently make outrageous claims for their products. Don't believe them - look for real proof, ask people you know if they've used the product - don't just buy something hoping it will work.
- Work your metabolism: your metabolism refers to the rate at which you burn calories. By increasing your metabolism (through, for example weight training) you can increase the calories you burn every minute of every day.
- Change your habits: The problem with diets is that they are short term - you do the diet, lose a few pounds, quit the diet, put the pounds back on. If your goal is long-term reduction, you have to change your habits.
- Exercise: While eating less is the most effective short-term way to dump the excess pounds, research shows that the key to keeping it off is regular exercise.
