To understand how to reduce your weight correctly so the weight loss is permanent we need understand the concept of Weight Set Point.
You did not gain your excess weight overnight and it is not reasonable to imagine you will reduce your weight overnight either. In truth we have a weight set point which is like a thermostat which keeps the temperature constant. Your weight set point is similar but it tries to keep your weight constant.
Thus imagine you over eat at a single party. Your weight may go up a little but soon will return back to its normal (set point) weight. However, slowly over the years of eating the wrong foods (junk foods, high glycemic index foods, foods with too much saturated fats like fatty red meats) increases your weight set point and your weight goes up.
So it will take some time (but not as long as for your weight gain) to lower your set point to the desired value. Note - for those in a hurry - if you reduce your caloric intake too low (below 1500 to 1200 depending on your current weight and activity level) your body will shift into the starvation mode and slow down your metabolism and stop your weight loss. In fact later your slower metabolic rate will increase your weight - hence the yo-yo syndrome.
The phases of a good weight loss program:
- Phase one - rapid weight loss
In a good weight loss program using both exercise and food management, at first your weight may go down rapidly as you lose water weight and eat more fiber and thus cleans your colon.
- Phase two - some weight gain
Then as you exercise chances are your weight will go up a little as you are replacing fat with muscle. Don't give up. Muscle weighs more than fat. I tell my weight reduction clients not to weigh themselves the first few weeks and just use their clothes as the measure and look in the mirror and notice how they look so much better.
- Weight loss and plateau phase
Then in any good sustainable weight reduction program, you can expect to lose somewhere between one to two pounds a week for a while. Any faster than is not sustainable and will lead to that dreaded yo-yo syndrome. Next your weight will plateau (remain more or less constant) for a while, as your weight set point stabilizes and gets ready to change.
Next your weight starts going down again and in time you reach your natural ideal weight. Remember this weight loss and plateau phase keeps repeating. As your set point will move down and then resistance builds and you get over the hump.
- The last few pounds are a doozey
There are times that you wish to reduce your weight even further. That has been my case. I desired and set a goal of having my waist size be the same as it was forty years ago when I was twenty two.
So the last five pounds have been very difficult as I attempted to reduce my weight so that my percentage body fat would go down from very good to extremely good (from 13% to 12% or less). This was a challenge for me. It has been a six month plateau. Then the solution came because I was helping one of my weight loss clients.
- Why I examined the low glycemic index diets
I have an M.S. in biochemistry so I study the science behind many diet or programs. I have always known that a low glycemic index diet is very sound from a scientific standpoint. I used t eat a basically low glycemic index diet, but did not adhere to it totally.
I had been studying various commercial programs for a client who did not have the time and inclination to follow my teachings and needed to get ready for a summer wedding and noticed that the one program which, if you follow it correctly, is successful was based on eating portion controlled low glycemic index menu.
- My victory over those last few pounds
So last week I started to follow a low glycemic (plenty and plenty of food based on my "The More Diet") regime. And lo and behold my weight has gone down by two pounds in the last week (the perfect amount) and most importantly my body fat content has gone down to 12.6%. I still have a little to go but I'm very happy with the progress and will continue with the low glycemic index diet. In fact soon I'll need to buy tighter belts as today I reached the last hole, but that's a great problem to have.
So you see weight loss need not be difficult to impossible. You need to have reasonable expectations and goals, with room for plateauing, and eat plenty of good low glycemic index foods with good proteins, fats and carbs. A mainly vegetarian diet with lean meat (mostly fish, or skinned chicken) with plenty of fruits and water will keep you satisfied while allowing you to reduce your weight safely and become more healthy.