Weight Loss Can Be Easy, Can Be Hard, and Can Be Simple - Or Not

Obesity, and many related health issues, are rampant in the U.S. and many parts of the Western world today. Also, as populations which have previously not been affected by modern diet and culture begin to adopt the eating and more sedentary habits of our civilization, they begin to gain weight and evince many health issues which have not previously been "normal" within their culture.

The increasing average weight of the general population, and the increasing incidence of related health conditions, is not just a subjective observation but something which has been measured by many organizations and studies. The links between weight gain and these health issues is becoming more obvious as well.

Not only the " weight   loss  experts", but the general population as well is becoming more and more aware of these issues as well. We also have a great amount of stress in our world to "look good", and this means one more factor which causes us to look for ways to take control and lower our weight and improve our health.

However, in the information age in which we live, almost anyone, including me, can pass themselves off as an expert on almost any subject. As might be suspected, even once you by-pass the charlatans simply trying to help you lose money while claiming they can help you lose weight, many people pass on almost anything they hear or read as being gospel. You get those emails too, right?

Many people are also very imprecise in their use of language, and many of us tend to hear what we want to hear. Words like "easy" and "simple", which can have very different meanings, are very often used as if they are completely interchangeable.

In many ways, getting to the top of Mount Everest is simple. You stand facing the mountain at its base and then begin walking towards it. Keep going, and you will eventually reach the top!

Simple, right?

Maybe, but definitely not easy.

 Weight   loss  is much the same. Some people will be able to accomplish it relatively easily, while others will have to work very, very hard to get the same results. At the most basic level, the process will be simple. If you use more calories than you take in, you will gain weight. If you take in more calories than you use, you will lose weight.

Unfortunately, as simple as that equation is, the ultimate outcome is influenced by a multitude of factors, including, but not limited to, age, sex, diet, present level of activity, past levels of activity (including childhood), overall health, specific health issues, and your genetic makeup.

If one person successfully loses or manages their weight with a given plan or program, their neighbor, relative, or coworker may not experience the same results with the same program, or may do even better, because of their sex, age, exercise intensity, family lifestyle, and so on.

It's nearly enough to make you think that a program which produces permanent, healthy  weight   loss  is rocket science!

Fortunately, there are some basic rules which most people can learn and apply which will help them accomplish their  weight   loss  goals. The trick is to learn and apply the right ones and then adapt the basics to your particular situation, which will be influenced by the factors mentioned earlier and many which have not been covered. For example, if you want a flat stomach, you can take your program to one level. If you want six-pack abs, you will have to go to another.

Frankly, there are lots of gurus, mentors, and just plain enthusiasts who can help educate, guide and shepherd you towards your goals, but, ultimately, you will have to become a bit of an expert yourself. Not only will you have to learn some of the facts of health, exercise, fitness, nutrition and  weight   loss , but you will also have to learn about yourself and how you fit into the matrix which those subjects comprise.

As you pursue your  weight   loss  goals, you will increase your knowledge by accepting guidance from fitness and  weight   loss  experts who will have done a lot of the work of learning and assimilating available knowledge and techniques. They will lead you along the path, and guide you past the false trails and traps along the way, but you must do the work. You alone can actually walk the path, and that is how, for you,  weight   loss  can be relatively simple... but never easy.

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