The Secret of Safe and Effective Weight Loss

2008-05-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

Tired of hearing or seeing these clichés: “Guaranteed To Work Without Exercise”, “Lose 10 Pounds In Just 1 Month.” You can choose to be fed up or just be optimistic about it. But there’s no stopping the weekly trend of a new product or idea claiming to be the best weight loss program in the market today.

Come to think of it, if all these things really work, why is there a new one coming out every month? Because the truth is, most of these weight loss advertisements are merely part of the media hype. Surely, a few people have benefited from them but the majority doesn’t.

After companies like fast food restaurants turn people into overweight, lazy people with all their high fat-induced super-sized meals, these companies will now pose as rescuers by selling low-fat, healthy-stuff hypes. But at what cost? Believe me, the costs range from being expensive to staggering. It may be healthier but definitely not wallet-friendly.

So, it’s still a choice: You can keep yourself fit in a high profile way like getting a membership in those upscale fitness centers, and going “green” to avoid chemicals and additives which are a lot more expensive than the usual groceries, or simply eat the right food, take the proper vitamins and minerals, and get into a regular exercise such as brisk walking to increase your heart rate.

The problem of most people today is that they neglect to eat their breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. I believe that you can practically eat anything whether they are whole foods or not provided that you don’t overdo it. Anything in excess is bad. So, the secret lies in moderation.

Some say that eating eggs everyday is bad. But eggs are a very nutritious food and a rich source of protein. Eating eggs in the morning can make you feel full until lunch. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip your lunch. People who go to school and work need enough energy to keep them going throughout the day. When you’re hungry, it will affect your performance, and your ability to think rationally.

I believe in eating several small meals a day than skipping meals. It’s a lot more honest. You don’t deprive yourself, not only the benefits of food, but the leisure of eating as well. But again, moderation is the key. Eat only small meals. Just enough to fill in your stomach to make it busy.

Abstaining from any meals or food may seem to work because you will definitely lose weight. However, it will have some side effects sooner or later on in life.

I’m not even allergic to those high-caloric fast food junks. The thing is, if that’s the only thing that you keep eating, then, there really is something wrong with you. True, indulging with your favorite double-deckers once in a while isn’t bad. Eating food or supplements rich in anti-oxidants will help take care of the junk that comes with some of the food we eat. Antioxidants help flush out all the bad elements that get into our system. So don’t be harsh on yourself. Get off the diet-hopping trend that doesn’t stop at every new fad. Just practice moderation.

No need to be a gym buff, though if you can afford it, why not. But a few minutes of brisk walking, jogging, or running on a regular basis is enough to keep your cardio healthy. You can add some stretching to your program if you like. For me, the secret of a safe and effective weight loss lies in having the right attitude. While there is much that we can do to keep our bodies in top shape, going through the extremes shouldn’t be a part of it. Practice moderation. And live happily ever after.

Monch Bravante is a freelance writer and advertising practitioner with special interest in public health issues.

Effective Diet Program

The Secret of Safe and Effective Weight Loss