There is one thing that we can all agree on when it comes to making a New Years resolution. In fact, this resolution is so popular it tops the list year after year – and it may have topped your list again this year. People want to lose weight.  And we need to!  According to recent reports 36.6% of us are overweight and 26.5% are obese. The word “obese” means too much body fat. The best method to measure body fat is based on your body mass index (BMI), and can be checked using a BMI Calculator. BMI compares your weight to your height. So whether it’s those 10 pounds you put on over the holidays or the 100 pounds you’ve put on over the last 20 years, there are a few key components to losing weight that everyone should know. Once you know these scientifically proven techniques it will take the guessing game out of shedding those extra pounds and provide lasting weight loss.

Calories In vs. Calories Out

It really all boils down to this — calories in vs. calories out. If you practice this one simple formula, you will lose weight. This is hard science here people, not a diet fad.  Any scientific study aimed at helping people lose weight will have them follow a diet that restricts caloric intake.  If you want to lose weight you must burn/use more calories that you take in. This is the most important of all the weight loss truths!

Weight Loss Truths Require Work, Not Gimmicks

Everyone is looking for the easy button or miracle pill where you are promised rapid weight loss in a short period of time, but don’t give in to these gimmicks.  If you’re considering one of these diets you can usually assume two things; it’s not going to be healthy for you and it won’t be sustainable. If you’re like the average person, losing 1 – 1 1/2 pounds of body fat per week is considered in the healthy and sustainable range.  One pound is equivalent to 3,500 calories – so if you decrease your caloric intake everyday by 500 calories you will lose 1 pound per week. That may sound like a lot of food to cut out everyday, but there is a way to cut that number in half (or more if you choose) that will soften the blow of restricting your calories.

Exercise for Weight Loss

The second key component to losing weight is exercise. It is your friend. It may not seem like it the first two weeks of starting an exercise program…but you must stick with it. Studies show that people who exercise while cutting calories (a combined effort) lost 20 percent more weight initially, and follow-up one year later saw a 20 percent greater sustained weight loss than the group that only made dietary changes. As I alluded to above, the combined effort of cutting calories and exercising is a faster and more sustainable way to lose weight. If your goal is to reduce caloric intake by 500 calories each day and you are willing to exercise…that means you could possibly eat 250 less calories and burn the other 250 calories by any activity of your choice.

High Protein Diet

Studies show protein, and even more specifically whey protein, may be a key component in your weight loss goal. One study states that, “The role of dietary protein in weight loss and weight maintenance influences crucial targets for body weight regulation, namely satiety (feeling full), thermogenesis, energy efficiency, and body composition.”  Sometimes one of the side effects of losing weight is that your body will not only break down fat for fuel, but it can also break down muscle. This is not a favorable outcome because we want to maintain, if not build muscle mass, not lose it during weight loss.  The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn and the healthier you will look! 

Whey Protein Aids Weight Loss

A study done of two groups trying to lose weight were put on a calorie reduced diet. One group was also given a whey protein supplement while the other was given a placebo. Subjects in both groups lost a significant amount of weight, but the group using whey protein lost significantly more body fat and showed a greater preservation of lean muscle compared to subjects consuming the control beverage. In another large European study, they found that a modest increase in protein content and a modest reduction in foods that have a high glycemic number led to an improvement in maintenance of weight loss. For more information on our non-denatured Vital Whey made from grass-fed cows milk, please feel free to visit our Product Page.  Well Wisdom Immune Enhancing Proteins supply the highest quality nutrients for regeneration and energy production for any age or lifestyle. We provide the best Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder for optimal nutritional support to athletes, immune compromised, elderly, children, and more!

Tips For Shedding Unwanted Pounds

• Eat a variety of whole foods — lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and sources of “good” fats, like omega-3 fats from fish and monounsaturated fats from avocados, nuts, and olives or olive oil.
• Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose different colors of fruits and vegetables to ensure optimal nutrition.
• Limit your portion sizes.
• Exercise!  Try for at least 30 min. every day.
• Eat slowly.  It takes 20 min. for your stomach to tell your brain it’s full.
• Eat smaller meals more frequently. Five to six per day may be best. Space your meals every three to four hours throughout your day.
• Snack on berries. Dark berries (blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and raspberries) are rich in healthy antioxidants. They are also low in calories and fat and high in fiber.
• Cut out the trans fats.  If the label says “partially hydrogenated” it contains trans fat.
• Clean out the kitchen.  Ditch the cookies, candy bars, juice drinks, granola bars, sugary cereals, crackers, etc.  Most of these are loaded with calories and sugar.
• Avoid “empty calories” including sugar-containing sodas and fruit drinks.

Ditch the Fads and Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle!

Research has shown us time and time again that these fad diets just don’t deliver over the long-term.  A diet works only as long as you stick to it! Only when you make a lifestyle change, and incorporate new healthy foods as part of a permanent change will you be able to keep the pounds off for good. Save yourself time, money and the physical side-effects of some of these wacky diets and embrace a healthy lifestyle.  Pack your fridge and pantry with ‘live’ foods (foods that don’t come in a box and will actually die after a given amount of time), kick the soda, sports drinks, cookies, chips and ice-cream to the curb and set up your kitchen to help support a healthy eating environment.  And last but not least…GET MOVING! Resources http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/what-obesity-is http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-nutr-080508-141056 http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-5-8.pdf http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1007137 http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-9-83.pdf