Weight loss isn't the effortless endeavor you wish it was. Fad diets, weight loss supplements and various fat-burning gadgets pique the interest of the average couch potato. You can reduce calories and get regular exercise and lose weight, guaranteed. But, you can also defer to the lazy person's guide to weight loss and embrace a host of fruitless dieting and exercise techniques -- none of which will give you lasting results.
Take a Pill
Nonprescription supplements can be a tempting solution, if you consider "diet" a four-letter word verboten to your weight loss lexicon. Natural weight loss supplements are classified as dietary supplements by the United States Food and Drug Administration. They come with no guarantee of safety or efficacy, but a whole lot of irresistible, impossible claims. The Federal Trade Commission gives you a rundown on some of them: you can lose a pound or more per day; you can eat whatever you like as long as you continue to take the supplement; or you don't need to exercise. The lazy person buys into it all -- and typically, the only reduction he sees is in the bottom line of his checking account.
Crash Diets
Fad diets that cut out certain foods and focus on a select few while severely limiting your calorie intake are choice diets for the indolent. These may work for the short-term, but it's unlikely that you'll be able to keep up such rigid eating habits for life. Also, if you eat a very low calorie diet, you may be shedding water weight and muscle mass, not body fat. Diets consisting of 800 calories a day also put you at risk for gallstones and life-threatening heart irregularities.
Spot Reduction
Various quick-fix programs and gadgets to spot reduce the fat on your belly has led to what the American Council on Exercise, or ACE, describes as a "multi-million dollar industry." However, none of the claims about spot reduction are founded. In fact, ACE notes that there's more scientific research to suggest that there's not a way to selectively reduce fat from certain areas of your body. If you want a flat, toned belly, simply doing crunches is only nominally helpful, building up the muscle underneath existing subcutaneous fat. Regular cardiovascular activity -- such as brisk walking, jogging or cycling -- is what burns up excess calories and gets rid of that spare tire or abdominal pooch.
No Pain, No Gain?
The lazy person wants to lose weight fast with the least amount of effort, even if it means putting her health at risk. But the healthy way to lose weight -- and to keep it off -- is to make changes to your diet and lifestyle that you can adhere to for a lifetime. Slow, steady weight loss of between 1 and 2 lbs. a week is most likely to yield permanent results. If you reduce your calorie intake by 500 every day, you'll lose 1 lb. a week. Exercise gives you added weight loss benefits when coupled with a reduced-calorie diet. A half-hour of moderately-intense cardiovascular activity most days of the week at minimum, along with twice-weekly strength-training sessions, puts you on the road to sure success.
References
- American Council on Exercise: Why is the Concept of Spot Reduction Considered a Myth?
- MayoClinic.Com: Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Pills-Do They Work?
- Weight-control Information Network: Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss-Better to Cut Calories or Exercise More?
- Federal Trade Commission: Weighing the Evidence in Diet Ads
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