DO I HAVE TO USE PRODUCTS
TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Anyone can lose weight for free. I've done it lots of times (hehehe)! In all seriousness, though, weight loss is simply a matter of expending more energy than you take in. But if you're reading this article now, chances are you have found losing weight and keeping it off anything but simple.

There are a number of things that keep people from achieving and maintaining their desired weight. The numero uno interference for most people is temptation, and temptation is an issue of self-control, and self-control is a spiritual matter. There is absolutely nothing I can sell you, no product under the sun, that will remove from your life all temptation or cause you to be impervious to it. If you've got difficulties in the area of self-control, you've got a spiritual problem, and no self-help book, no class, no pill, no nothing you do in the physical realm is going to make it right. To develop previously elusive self-control, please consider a spiritual tack.

Hunger, weakness, drowsiness, headaches, chills, irritability, and slow weight loss are other items which lead many folks to stop weight loss/maintenance efforts. But hooray, these are all things that can be relieved and/or corrected with nutritional products!

Hunger, for instance, can be relieved through herbs and nutritional support. Initially, hunger is usually caused by a sudden change in the amount of bulk your stomach is accustomed to. After a few days to a week's time of reduced food intake, as your tummy shrinks, that empty feeling passes. What most people don't realize, however, is that nutritional deficiencies also cause hunger. Unfortunately, cravings aren't reliable indicators of what the body needs to satisfy it's lack, which is why even people who over-eat experience legitimate hunger pangs.

Almost everyone has nutritional deficiencies, even many of the health nuts who eat very conscientiously. The problem is the reality that today we can't get from our food alone the nutrition we need for optimum health. Our food isn't pure or fresh; it takes too long for it to get from the source to our plates, so that many precious nutrients are lost. Then we destroy many more during cooking. Chemicals, processing, poor soil quality, and a host of other factors have depleted our diets of life-supporting vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals. And on top of it all, so many of the foods found on grocery store shelves today are created to be nothing but empty calories, loaded with sugar, salt, and fat. No wonder so many people are sick, tired, depressed, and overweight.

Weakness, drowsiness, headaches, chills, and irritability are also signs of malnutrition and double as symptoms of withdrawal. The former can be dealt with by getting adequate nutrition into the body (and absorbing it); The latter passes after 3-10 days of discontinuing bingeing and getting off the offending foods, usually refined sugars and flours, food dyes and other additives, and over-processed foods.

Another great discourager is losing weight too slowly. Medical problems can be a major contributor to slow weight loss, but the vast majority of those are lifestyle related, whether your physician knows or believes it or not. However, I am definitely no expert on medical issues, so I do refer you to your doctor if you believe you have medical problems keeping you fat.

Food choices affect weight loss. If you continue to consume high sugar, high fat, high calorie foods on a regular basis, don't be surprised if your body fat only creeps off. Sugar causes the "want mores" and fat contains more calories per gram than carbohydrates or proteins. By choosing to avoid sugar and fat, you'll automatically be taking in fewer calories, plus you'll be able to eat a greater quantity of food and still drop the pounds. This equals greater satisfaction, both in fullness and weight loss results.

If you want to lose unhealthy body fat more quickly, exercise will help you. Pure and simple. Exercise has so many benefits, it may be the single most important aspect of weight management. Not only does regular exercise burn calories, it also builds muscle, increases stamina, develops a lifestyle of discipline, contributes to better sleep, creates a sense of well-being, and is a mood stabilizer and enhancer. Studies indicate that exercise that builds lean muscle, such as weight training and body toning, contribute to even faster fat loss than aerobic activity. For the best results, cross-train if you can, and exercise at least 3 times per week for at least 20-30 minutes each time.

A sluggish metabolism also results in slow weight loss. For those who have never had it explained to them, metabolism is the term given the process of breaking food down into waste matter. During this process nutrients needed by the body are extracted from the food and energy is released. For starters, everyone has their very own metabolic range, which is essentially unchangeable. Acceptance is a good thing. But people who have gained and lost weight over long periods of time often complain of "slow metabolism." Testimony and experience have taught me that "dieter's metabolism" corrects when eating habits stabilize and the body is healthy and well nourished. Get your focus off the metabolism and just get to eating right! Even having said that, however, let me also say that combining sound nutrition with a few pertinent herbs and regular exercise will keep your metabolism running high within your body's range.

Plateaus are normal. Enough said about that.

One more thing: Stop dieting. Learn to eat in a way that's good for your body, and do it today . And tomorrow, do it again. The next day, do it again. Just keep doing it, one day at a time. I know, that expression gets used a lot, but it's because it's so very useful. Success is built a day at a time. As many times as you need to recommit, do it! Just keep going.

So if you've been on the roller coaster, get off of it today. Make a commitment to live a long, prosperous life, whatever your reasons are. If you want the help of nutritional products, you know where to find me, or visit your local health food store.

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