SubscribeThe One True Secret of Weight-Loss Success
None of these work. However much they promise to be "the secret", the one effortless way to lose weight, they're all ways to distract yourself from the truth. There's only one secret to losing weight - and it's one you probably wish wasn't true.
Are you ready? The one true secret to losing weight is...
Yes, it's that simple - and that hard. You need to reduce your intake of energy (by eating less) or increase your output (by exercising more) - and, ideally, do both.
Eating Less
The only way you take in calories is by passing food over your lips, through your mouth and into your stomach. Of course that's obvious, but it's surprising how much weight-loss advice seems to ignore it. You do not consume calories by:
- Looking at food
- Craving your favourite snack
- Being offered a cookie by a friend
- Walking down the snacks aisles in the supermarket
Stop saying things like "I only have to look at a slice of cheesecake to put on weight." Yes, you mean it jokingly, but on some level you're reinforcing the idea that you're doomed to be fat and there's nothing you can do about it.
No-one is ever forcing food into your mouth. You can't blame other people for your weight problems. However difficult things are, you are the only one who determines what does and doesn't go into your mouth. And (if your weight isn't currently going up) you're guaranteed to lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you're consuming at the moment.
(I'm sure some of you are concerned about nutrition at this point. I find that eating fewer calories leads naturally to healthier choices - fruit and vegetables are very filling, at a low calorie cost.)
Exercising More
The vast majority of us can also move around more, even if that means starting off with a ten minute walk twice a day. Don't think that there's no point exercising if you're out of shape; do whatever level of activity you can manage, and you'll quickly get fitter.
Again, there are no magical solutions. No single exercise can spot-reduce fat, or will somehow burn five hundred calories in ten minutes. But the good news is that you don't need a personal trainer, an expensive gym membership, or loads of equipment cluttering your spare room. All you need to do is put one foot in front of the other, and repeat.
Diet Successfully: Remember the Secret
Write out the secret and fix it on your fridge, kitchen cupboard, front door, computer monitor, anywhere you'll see it regularly:
If you want a shorter version:
That's the secret, and that's all you need to know to successfully lose weight.
Editors Note: One point to note here: SIMPLE is not the same word as EASY. --Jim
People HATE it when you tell them the secret to losing weight is (more often than not*) eat less or exercise more or do both. I lost a big chunk of weight, and a lot of my friends doing Weight Watchers and other faddish things asked me how I did it. I said, "No problem! I decreased my intake and exercised daily." For some reason, they didn't like that revelation! Oh, well.
*I say this because there are some people with metabolic problems or illnesses or whatever else that skew the usual results.
Reply"Weight Watchers and other faddish things"
Never the Bride, I have to disagree with you here. I don't feel weight watchers is at all faddish. And its absolute basis is the principle of eating less and moving more. In fact, one of the booklets you get in your first few weeks of weight watchers is simply entitled "move more." I know the concept of activity points and food points may seem 'faddish' but its just a means of making you accountable for what you do with and what you put into your body. I feel accountability is where most diets let you down. I never attended a meeting at which my leader didn't recommend exercise, or basic things like fruit instead of sweets. Its far from a fad. Weight watchers is based on exactly what Ali Hale is recommending: Eating less, and moving more.
(FYI I'm not a WW leader or anything.)
ReplyI could rant about WW but I'll refrain and say that some of the most disordered eating I've seen in my friends occurs when they join weight watchers. Plus the new commercials make me see red, WW is a diet no matter how they market it.
ReplyI also lost a big chunk of weight and a lot of my success was due to WW. I think it really helped me to learn which foods were good for me and filled me up vs. foods that were mostly calories and had nothing else to them. I have a big appetite, so I never wasted points on things like chips or cookies...I liked my points to satisfy me. So I chose mostly proteins and veggies and fruits and naturally I lost weight. Plus, they encourage exercise too...I liked how I could eat more if I worked out more. But I never went overboard; like eating a big steak after 30 minutes on the treadmill. I think people can abuse the WW system (eating a day's worth of points in the form of 3 pieces of cake or something), but if you do the program the way it was designed, it's a surprisingly easy way to lose a nice amount of weight.
ReplyWeight watchers a fad diet? I don't think so - the princples are very sound and based on healthy eating guidelines and they do not exclude any particular food groups or espouse eating solely carbs, protein or fruit for instance.
ReplyI love weight watchers I have loss 14 pounds in five weeks. I love the plan you can eat what you like as long as you have the points. If you can trust yourswelf to stop eating when you are full they also have the core plan to offer and the meetings rock. Remember it is not a diet it is a life style change
ReplyCongratulations Anne Marie! You must be so pleased. I bet you look great.
Replyso true.
and so much of all this we've known for eons.
eat less move more.
eat the CLEAN way our ancestors did (or, heck, my TODDLER does!) and you'll live a long lean life.
that said, we all look to Oprah to find us the next magic potion to rub on ourselves at night so we'll awaken looking like Heidi Klum or some such skinny minnie.
ReplyCalorie in vs calorie out is everything. People find it hard to know what calories are in the food they eat and the actual calories that they burn during exercise. I built a weight loss system that breaks down the calories people consume and expend and shows them graphically. This visual representation really teaches people about calories in and out.
Replythat is totally true, exercise more eat less. The other day I looked up "Standard American Diet" on wikipedia and all they talked about was that American's are BUSY. It seems they are too busy to cook and they are too busy to exercise. I didn't expect to find that under "Standard American Diet". It seems that being too busy is the reason why we just grab some junk food on the way.
ReplyThat Wikipedia article needs a lot of work, as the multiple warnings at the top of the page indicate.
ReplyObviously you have to expend more calories than you consume, but a reduced carbohydrate diet (which usually ends up being hypo-caloric anyway) combined with a reduced calorie diet is certainly going to give better fat loss results than a reduced calorie diet that does nothing to improve insulin sensitivity.
Additionally, the higher fat and protein content of a reduced carbohydrate diet leads to greater satiety which in turn makes compliance easier.
Combining a reduced carbohydrate diet with periodic higher carbohydrate refeed days and weight lifting three times a week is virtually guaranteed to result in fat loss, muscle preservation, increased metabolism and a smaller waist line.
Replybarry,
that's actually what I do---but Ive found it's hard for many to practice (which is why I, too, champion programs such as WW with my clients...from the point system to the SUPPORT systems).
It is all about trial and error and finding what both WORKS for you and that you can live with (emphasis on live as life is too short to not enjoy).
ReplyOver the past year and a half I have lost 45 lbs. I would like to lose 10-15 more. However I have not lost any weight since January. I began tracking my calories on thedailyplate.com. It allows you to input your weight goal and then gives you a daily caloric guideline in order to reach your goal (mine is to lose 1.5 pounds a week.) Well I've been doing this for 3 weeks and I never exceed my calories for the day and in addition I work out 4-5 times a week. And I work out relatively vigorously, usually running 3.5 mile @ 7 mph and also strength training everyday, working different muscle groups, for at least 30 minutes. Based on this I should have already lost at least six pounds but I haven't. I think the reason is my high carb consumption.
thedailyplate.com also breaks down what percentage of carbs vs fat vs protein is in your diet and on a typical day I eat around 60% carbs. I know this is not good and I suspect it is also the reason for the pockets of fat on my belly and back that will not budge. I was wondering if there was a certain number of grams of carbs one could recommend that I not exceed for the day. I lost weight about ten years ago by keeping my daily fat grams under 30. I have tried to decrease the overall percent of carbs but I find it to be very difficult because it requires a high level of food planning that I do not have the time for. Sorry so long but any help would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyI'm sorry -- guaranteed by whom?
ReplyOkay, I have to take issue with losing weight being as simple as calories in, calories out. I absolutely believe that the quality of calories plays a BIG role in this equation.
I know that when I dropped 60lbs I was eating more food than I ate when I was gaining weight. The difference was the quality...I cut way back on fast food and instead was eating a serving of meat (even steak and ground beef), a serving of carbs (even potatoes), and two servings of veg/fruit at each meal. And these weren't wimpy servings. Snacks were interspersed through the day too. When I tracked my calories, sometimes I'd ingest 2,500 cal a day and I was still losing weight. And I'm a girl.
ReplyMost people - even nutritionists - don't understand that the quality of the food matters much more than calories, carbs, protein, fat, etc.. When one eats a balanced diet (based on their own bioindividuality) of high-quality food (organic, unrefined, unprocessed), their body will follow these steps to wellness naturally.
ReplyDid you track your calories when you were eating junk food? You may very well have been consuming more calories then.
ReplyI think, perhaps, that the oft used phrase “calories in versus calories out” may not be the best way of saying it, so I would like to suggest you think of it in terms of calorie availability (relating to the intake, uptake and distribution of calories) versus calorie utilization (relating to the effect of the activity level and calorie usage).
Reply(bows down to Dr.J who always phrases it far better than she.)
ReplyVery true...when people talk about the "quality" of calories, it's sort of a way of talking about the ease of absorption of those calories from the intestines. When you eat a lot of whole foods that contain both fiber and nutrients, your body isn't able to utilize all the calories that are thermodynamically available in the food. But when you eat highly processed foods like sugars and white flour and things that are very high in fats, your intestines are able to absorb a larger portion of the calories. I'm thinking that's why things like nuts, avocadoes, fruits, etc. don't typically make you gain weight...they are high in fat/sugar/etc., but they also have a lot of fiber and nutrients in them that prevent the body from completely absorbing all the calories.
Reply(joins MizFit in bowing down respectfully to Dr. J-san)
Reply(agrees with MizFit and Merry that Dr J has put it far better than I did in the post! Thanks Dr J! :-))
ReplyYou are all most welcome!
ReplyFell out of my chair from vigorous nodding in agreement, how many calories is that, again?
I totally agree with this:
Stop saying things like "I only have to look at a slice of cheesecake to put on weight." Yes, you mean it jokingly, but on some level you're reinforcing the idea that you're doomed to be fat and there's nothing you can do about it.
Like a power of attraction thing, now if I can get it to work for my financial situation...
ReplyI like to think the try keys to weight loss are balance and consistency. Consistently combining the proper balance of good eating, exercise and supplementation are what will show results over the long term and more importantly results that will stay.
ReplyIt's about time this was said! It's exactly how I lost 70 lbs. I ate less. I exercised. Was my nutrition always great? No. Was my exercise on a strict schedule, perfectly formulated for my body? Absolutely not. But guess what--I lost weight anyway. And I've kept it off for several years now.
"No-one is ever forcing food into your mouth. You can't blame other people for your weight problems. However difficult things are, you are the only one who determines what does and doesn't go into your mouth."
Amen to that. People don't want to hear that it's their fault they're fat, but in the majority of cases, it is. Both of my parents are overweight, and some would say I could blame genetics, but I disagree. It wasn't them who got me fat (starting at age 16) or caused me to stay fat for almost 10 years. They never forced the oreos down my throat; they never forced me to supersize my meals, or to eat the piles of fried rice. I did it to myself. End of story.
ReplyIt's not really about "fault". Humans tend to eat too much when food is abundant. It's natural. Your weight is your responsibility though.
Another thing is that kids aren't responsible. At 16 you may have been. But parents need to be responsible for their kids until their kids grow up. That's the parent's job. Kids like Oreos and don't always consider the consequences.
ReplyAyes76 -- thank you for sharing that (and a huge well done on losing 70lbs!) I think you're so right that whilst our nutritional choices might not always be perfect, and whilst our exercise routine might be a bit shabby, overall, the "eat less move more" principle works.
Ali
ReplyWe all want to find a quick and easy fix for everything especially when it comes to weight loss. Unfortunately, the quick way almost never works. Losing weight takes effort and its not an easy thing to do. I think that learning that these "fads" don't work, and understanding how the body loses weight is the first step to improvement.
ReplyI eat less when I'm asleep.
ReplyWhich is actually a very wise statement. There is a lot of research showing how a lack of sleep is connected to weight problems.
Time for a nap.
ReplyIt really IS as simple as eating less and exercising more. When I was fat, I used a lot of excuses to justify my poor health...genetics, asthma, the fact that I just plain hated working out, etc. But the truth is, no one was shoving junk food into my mouth or forcing me not to exercise. I made all those choices on my own. I used to think that if I was at a meeting where there were cookies out, I HAD to take one. Once I started my weight loss plan, I stopped eating the free food at meetings/study groups and guess what? The world didn't end and I managed to lose weight.
When I tell people that I lost almost 90 lbs, people want to know my secret...well, the "secret" is working out for about an hour every day except Sunday and not eating crap all the time. People then say "Oh, so you actually had to work at getting that body; you weren't born with it". The truth is, I don't believe that most people are BORN with great bodies...MOST people have to work at it to manage their weight.
ReplyTotally with you about the biscuits, Spectra. Why is it we feel "I deserve that" when a plateful of goodies is around?
Ali
ReplySpectra, I like what you say about most people having to work at their great bodies.
My husband doesn't struggle with weight the way I do. He's always close to his ideal weight. But it's not because he doesn't work at it. If he realizes his clothes are feeling a little snugger or gets on the scale and he's gone up a few pounds, he immediately takes action. He eats better and exercises more until he's back to his ideal weight. I think most "naturally" thin people are like this.
I think it's really, really important for people to realize this. When someone who seems thin says "I have to lose about ten pounds," don't poo-poo them. They know the weight that's good for them, and if they've gone a little over, it's much better for them to deal with it then than to allow it to keep creeping up.
I wish I had understood better this back when I only had ten pounds to lose. Now I have 80 pounds to lose.
ReplyHormones dictate weight loss.....food and exercise are used to express hormonal responses. You can eat less...but if your hormones are out of whack, you don't lose weight. You can exercise 4 hours a day, and then your hormones will be breaking down muscle and not fat. Most people do need to exercise more...but in moderation (as more is not always better..unless you like elevated cortisol, muscle loss, metabolic disorders and free radical increases). Get your hormones correct and fat loss is alot easier, as explained here: projectfit.org/iflifeblog/2008/02/25/fat-loss-101-master-the-basics/
ReplyPeople can choose to buy into this hormone mumbo-jumbo and learn 1000 different confusing things. Maybe you can even buy hormone pills from this guy.
Or you could just eat less food and/or exercise more and you'll lose weight.
BTW: You can buy a scale that will tell you your body fat percentage if you're really worried about losing muscle vs. fat. Mine was about $100 but I didn't get the most basic one.
I didn't buy it until after I lost a lot of weight though. When I was fat, I wanted to lose weight, not make someone happy I was doing it The Right Way. So I ate a lot less (but still junk food) and started walking. I lost over 100 pounds in 2 years.
After I gained some back, I bought the fancy scale, started running and eating healthier and lost it again and more.
I didn't spend a single minute worrying about hormones or any of the rest of the "balance" nonsense.
-
If you honestly think you are eating less food than the energy you use; if you've really been at it for a few weeks and you aren't losing weight, then you are either building muscle at an impressive rate or you need to go see a doctor.
ReplyI think that WHAT is eaten is just as important.
I read today that some research is showing that trans fat is more likely to increase fat in the abdominal area. (I think it was in the June issue of Natural Solutions.) That was the first time I'd read that. We know trans fat is bad for us, and is likely to increase cholesterol and other bad things, but how it affects fat storage was a new one for me.
That leads me to the point that eating naturally is probably more imporant than is realized. I wonder about the chemicals in our foods. Are they affecting our metabolism, fat storage, muscles, longevity, height, etc.? Why are young girls starting puberty so much earlier? I've read that it's because of increased calories and I've read that it's because of the chemcials in our foods, such as hormones. I've seen information that talks about all the chemicals just in our drinking water and it's scary.
Not everyone can grow their own food or afford to buy all organic, but I do think that the more natural and less processed a food is, the better it has to be for us.
ReplySo if i only eat 300 grams of sugar a day is that going to make me thinner? Counting calories is useless and that shouldn't be new information for you. Have you heard about the glycemic index?
ReplyBy weight-loss you mean losing fat or muscle as well? I think the right terminology is changing body composition.
And yes I am concerned about nutrition. CH and protein contain the same amount of energy. How do you choose between them?
Post a picture about yourself. Are you skin and bones with a layer of fat between them? Or have you got any muscles at all? This is totally wrong advice.
While I agree with this topic I think it could be expanded further. Not all calories are created equal. Some times we can eat quite a bit and lose weight while other times eating less food that is not quite as healthy could cause weight gain.
Also while working out you actually gain the chance of gaining weight at times. If your training is going well seeing an increase in muscle could add to your weight. Though the good news is now you have more energy building weight to help consume those extra calories.
ReplyI agree with "not all calories are created equal". Thirteen years ago I lost 100 pounds with the Zone Diet and lifestyle (zonediet.com), which includes sensible exercise, and I've kept it off even since. The Zone is inherently a calorie restricted diet, but calorie counting is not a focus of it. You eat well-balanced meals which you put together in a way that results in keeping blood sugar on an even keel. As a result, insulin levels lower, which switches the body from buring carbs for energy to burning fat for all it's energy needs. The point I'm making is that you can easily control of your blood sugar levels to effect this change in metabolism by eating a certain combination of carb, protein and fat for your meals and snacks. If you were to try to do this relying on calorie intake alone, it would be a hit or miss proposition. This is precisely the reason why the calories in/calories out theory simply doesn't work for many individuals.
Here's an examples of a Zone balanced meal: about 5 oz serving of salmon with a heaping helping of green beans and carrots (or similar veggie) drizzled with a teaspoon of olive oil, and a large serving of blueberries or strawberries for dessert. The meal is low calorie, but contains moderate amounts of carb, protein and fat which are in proportion to effect the types of changes I mentioned above.
ReplyAWESOME POST! Very blunt and honest. Couldn't be any more true. Will definitely reference this post in my blog as I've been progressing very well in my weight stabilizing quest, doing exactly what you said here. :)
ReplyActually, I believe that only works for six months....see Rethinking Thin by Gina Kolata.
ReplyI learned a saying years ago that has helped me in my life. "Argue for your limitations and they are yours."
ReplyIt's been working for me for over 13 years now!
ReplyI was searching the web as I am developing a support group at my church to approach food with this exact concept. This "secret" has worked for me for 8 months. I hope you will visit my blog at http://joyfuleating.wordpress.com/ and share your input. Thanks
ReplySue
I think just as important as having more calories burned than used is having good nutrition.
It is interesting, because I made a post on my website about "eating your way to your dream body", and I focused more on what to eat, whereas this article focused more on maintaining the difference between calories in and calories out.
I will go back to my article and make appropriate changes. :)
Reply