If you want to lose weight, selecting the right
weight lossprogram is absolutely essential to your success. There are a seemingly
unlimited number of weight loss programs available on the market today so how
can you decide which one is right for you? This is a question I see a lot from
both men and women looking for the right program to follow. It's a confusing
situation to be in I can imagine; wanting to lose weight but not knowing which
program best serves your needs. So what do you do?
Well, the purpose of this article is to discuss various
aspects and concepts surrounding weight loss programs in hopes that it will
help you be able to select the appropriate program for you. First things first!
1. Identify what you REALLY want
What do you really want from your physical body? My online
fitness coaching clients hear this from me all the time. At first it may seem
like a pretty silly question, but it's not. I've learned that the vast majority
of people seeking weight loss really aren't really that interested in losing
weight at all. It's true! In my considerable professional experience, the
majority of people seeking professional fitness coaching aren't looking to lose
weight as much as they'd simply like to feel good about themselves and avoid
the pain associated with the social pressures of being overweight. Weight loss
isn't their true desire, it simply provides them with the things they are
really wanting. In fact, I will go as far to say that most people really want
to eat whatever they want to eat, do whatever they want to do and live their
life as they deem appropriate. I'm not pointing fingers here, that's what I'd
like to do too. However, being human means we have social pressures and
expectations. At this point in history we are told that a lean, toned physique
is sexy, attractive and desirable. I believe that this is the reason most
people seek weight loss programs, not because of a true desire to be lean, but
an intense desire to be wanted, to be sexy, to be considered attractive and to
feel good about their body when surrounded by people who's opinions they
consider important.
It's perfectly alright to seek weight loss for any reason at
all; because you want to feel attractive, feel confident in your body or to
attract prospective love interests. Whatever your reason for seeking weight
loss, it's very important that you identify your REAL reason for this pursuit.
Once you've accurately identified this reason/reasons, motivating yourself
toward that goal/goals is a much more enjoyable process. Once this happens, the
weight loss process is not so much about the weight as much as it's all about
you! And that is exactly how it should be.
2. Determine commitment boundaries
This concept is perhaps the most important of all. I have
seen people spend thousands of dollars on weight loss programs only to abandon
that effort just days into the program. They over-committed themselves and were
not able to follow through. Every weight loss program has a few things in
common. Each of these things will vary from program to program, but the basic
components remain:
Frequency - how
often you must workout
Intensity - how
much effort and intensity you must put into your program
Time - how much
time you must exercise each workout
Type - the type of
exercise(s) you will be doing during a program
This actually has a common name. We in the fitness industry
call this the F.I.T.T principle. Beyond these basics which are usually
associated with the exercise components of your program there will also be
nutritional requirements to any quality weight loss program that fit perfectly
into the same acronym:
Frequency -
describes how often you will eat each day
Intensity - how
rigid or lax your diet is
Time - how long
you must eat this way
Type - the kind of
food and nutrition methodology being used
These are going to be present in any well-developed weight
loss program. Your success is dependent on what you are realistically willing
and able to commit to with regard to each of these factors. Let's face it,
purchasing a weight loss program does not guarantee success, you must follow
the program to achieve results. For instance, if your program requires a very
strict diet with seven days of intense exercise each week but you aren't a
disciplined dieter and have never worked out before, this hypothetical program
probably isn't the one that is going to serve your needs best. Perhaps you need
a program that has a more developmental approach and allows you more food and
exercise options.
3. Beware of programs that claim to be for everybody
I'm not saying that there aren't programs that could benefit
anyone and everyone, but I am saying that you are more likely to be successful
when you sign-up for a program that is directed at people just like you.
Programs that attempt to cater to everyone are typically designed to produce
sales more than results. These programs tend to be very demanding, have very
rigid diet expectations and often lead to injury for those not prepared to
handle the demands the program requires. Do your homework and find a program
that is designed with you in mind.
When I began developing my Body Fat Meltdown weight loss
program for women a lot of people told me I'd make more sales if I would only
market it to everyone; men, women, older, younger, everybody. While this is undoubtedly
true I couldn't ethically do that because I know that each of these groups of
people have their own unique set of needs and desires when it comes to physical
fitness and weight loss. Therefore, I developed the Body Fat Meltdown program
specifically for newly motivated women wanting to lose weight without requiring
a gym membership so they could work out each day for thirty minutes or less
wherever and whenever they wanted. I wanted it to be ideal for the at-home
exerciser or for women who need to workout with minimal equipment while
traveling. It needed to take away all excuses for a newly motivated weight loss
participant and that's what it does. By providing exact diets and exercise
instructions the Body Fat Meltdown program ensures success if a woman will
simply follow it for ninety days. This is an example of a program that has a
targeted audience, a specific purpose and a meaningful method of progression
that will lead this specific group of participants toward their weight loss
goals.
4. Make sure the program is challenging, but livable
Be honest about the type of program your lifestyle will
allow you to partake in. Fitness is an evolution so where you are in life now
may not be where you are down the line, but you must be able to manage your
weight loss program within the current boundaries that your life provides. For
instance, if you are a single mother with two small children at home you
probably are not going to stick to a ninety day program where you have to eat
brussel sprout and cabbage soup at each meal while exercising sixty minutes two
times each day. It's just not sustainable. Every program has it's nutrition and
exercise requirements so it's up to you to make sure that those requirements
will challenge you to improve but that also fit into your current living
arrangement.
5. The best weight loss program is one you'll finish
The most effective program in the world is useless if you
don't do it. I know this first-hand. I've has women sign-up for my Body Fat
Meltdown weight loss program and proceed to lose twenty-four pounds in the
first thirty days. On the other hand I've had women sign-up and never even
attempt the first training program yielding a result of exactly nothing. The
best weight loss program you can invest in is one you will participate in, be
challenged by and finish. I can name at least a hundred weight loss programs
off the top of my head that have produced amazing results for their
participants. Conversely, I can assure you that every one of those programs
also has people who purchased, then barely participated, quit and spent
hard-earned money for no results whatsoever. Ultimately the results you get
begin and end with you. They are dependent on the factors we discussed above
and are absolutely determined by your participation and completion of the
program.
Take these five factors and use them to weed through the
vast wilderness of weight loss programs available to you. Find a program where
you are the targeted participant, one that you can realistically participate in
and sustain from start to finish. If you do these things I firmly believe you
will be successful in your effort to lose weight and look and feel great.
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