Easy, Effective Diets Do Exist - How Medical Science Has Changed Attitudes About Weight Loss

Up until a few years ago; there was no such thing. Weight loss was a very difficult chore; requiring much sacrifice and even more self control.

Today, thanks to advancements in medical science; we understand exactly how weight loss works and how the body responds to dieting . The reason that; until now; losing weight was so difficult was because none of the weight loss plans available took into account how and why the body reacts to dietary changes.

There is an "engine" within us that controls how calories are burned or stored. That engine is called the metabolism. Keep in mind that the body is programmed to maintain; not to lose. The metabolism adjusts itself to what it is accustomed to. If you commonly consume 2000 calories a day; the metabolism adjusts itself accordingly. If you only need 1500 calories per day for your energy requirements; then the excess calories are stored as fat. So let's say you decide to reduce your daily calorie consumption to 1500 calories in order to lose weight. The body recognizes that it is not getting the "normal" number of calories and it perceives this as a threat of starvation. So the body protects itself from starvation by slowing the metabolism so as to conserve calories. This is why weight loss has always been so difficult and why most diets fail. By eating fewer calories in an effort to lose weight; the body adjusts itself to burn fewer calories.

The body does "think" for itself; completely apart from the brain; and it always seeks to protect itself from threats. If you think that sounds silly; then go stand outside on a cold day. Before long; your teeth will start to chatter and you will find yourself shivering uncontrollably. That is how the body protects itself from freezing. Slowing the metabolism to conserve calories is how the body protects itself from starving.

So if we have to eat less in order to lose weight; and by eating less the body seeks to conserve calories; effective weight loss must be pretty much impossible, right? No, not at all. Easy, effective diets do exist today thanks to our understanding of how weight loss really works.

The key to easy, effective diets is to choose a plan that is designed around the known facts of how the body responds to dieting . We know that by decreasing our caloric intake; we will experience a decrease in metabolic function. So we need a weight loss program that will somehow preclude that metabolic slow down.

The most effective weight loss program available today does exactly that by using a principle known as calorie shifting. Calorie shifting employs techniques that prevent the body from settling into a dietary routine; thus leaving the metabolism largely unaffected so that it continues to burn calories at a high rate. Keeping the metabolism in "high gear" is the key to significant weight loss.

Calorie shifting requires us to eat often; and it requires us to alternate (shift) the types of foods we eat and when we eat them. These plans; by their nature; are much easier to stick with for the long term; which explains the high rate of success most people experience with them. They have the added benefit of never leaving you feeling hungry or deprived; and most people realize very rapid weight loss; which helps to keep the morale and motivation high.

If you would like to learn more about easy, effective diets ; and if you would like to see the easiest, most effective weight loss plan available; just follow the link below.