Dieting and weight loss are probably two of the most exploited business opportunities in modern society. Fear sells products and not fitting in is a very scary thing. Even though nobody is judging you on your weight, your mind will tell you otherwise and that insecurity is usually enough to get you to drop lots of money on pills, prepackaged food and odd exercise equipment. The fact of the matter is that humans simply weren't built for modern work environments and we rarely get exercise by natural means. Even though everybody is different, the human body reacts in very similar ways when we want to increase or decrease fat and muscle. Although they would have you believe it's a very difficult process, losing weight is scientifically very simple, but disciplinarily, incredibly difficult. Before you even start, make sure that you replace every thought of "losing weight" with "being healthy" because that is simply what is most important.
Knowledge of Nutrition
The body is an ecosystem and if you don't know what you're putting into it, you really have no idea what is going to happen to it as a result. While having a fantastic knowledge of nutrition and vitamins is great for an understanding of perfect balance, it's certainly not a requirement. You know which foods are good for you and which aren't and simply looking at nutrition facts table should clear up any confusion you might have.
Most of us learned about the food pyramid in high school. Unfortunately many of us don't follow the guidelines set out in the food pyramid, even though we know we would be healthier and probably lose some weight. Start reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists to find which food items are lower in sodium (salt), sugars, saturated, and trans fats. Try choosing those that are higher in fiber, protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. Making healthy food choices takes some time and effort, but the positive health benefits from eating a healthy diet is well worth that extra effort.
Exercise
Human bodies have evolved to be hunter-gatherers and as such, needed a lot of running and walking to keep them in proper shape. Today, we don't need to walk anywhere so we have to make up for it with exercise. If you want to lose weight, doing stuff is an absolute necessity. Don't believe all these miracle pills and other diets that claim to make you into a superman without doing any exercise. Their claims are simply unnatural and probably very unhealthy. Exercise is a requirement for any healthy human body, which really should be your goal.
Do whatever you can to stay active. If you hate running, or are scared of the gym, take up a sport that you used to play as a kid. Ride you bike, hit the treadmill, start playing tennis... do anything that gets you moving and keeps you happy. Once you have achieved a consistent active lifestyle, you'll begin to feel better. Stress levels decrease in people who exercise regularly, and your body will also feel better. You'll breathe deeper, run further, and smile more. Seriously, exercise makes your life better and if you leave it out of your weight loss routine, you will be worse off for it.
Help
Obviously, if losing weight fast were as simple as I've stated in the paragraphs above, there wouldn't be 63.1% of us overweight. I think that the biggest problem with obesity and weight loss is the simple fact that our society encourages laziness. Sit on the couch and watch advertising; it's what make America America but it won't let you burn many calories. American businesses make money by selling products to Americans and they do that by advertising to you. The couch is your enemy and the most powerful forces in corporate America back it, so winning this battle with the bulge is going to take some assistance.
Personally, I find that procrastination is the single biggest obstacle in my way when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Let's face it, sitting on the couch is easy and so is putting stuff off. The problem with procrastination is that, like everything else, the more you do it, the better you get at it. There are, however, a number of really excellent ways to battle this laziness.
First of all, get a friend. Social support is another thing that has gone the way of the buffalo with our modern society and it's really really important to both mental and physical well-being. Get a friend, lover, child or anybody else you happen to get along with to hold you to your goals. Somebody eating the same diet as you and exercising with your plan will increase your chances of successfully changing your lifestyle dramatically. You really have to keep each other motivated and the bigger the community, the more crushing the guilt will be when you fall off.
If people aren't your thing, go online and find a community that wants to help you be healthier. There are plenty of them, but I find that the weight loss support forum is probably the most supportive and genuine group I have found. The more you integrate with the community that you choose to become a part of, the better your results will be and the better you will feel.
Also in the help category will be things like recipe books and other support materials, but I think what is most important is that you realize just how much better life is when you are healthy. YOU are the game changer and ultimately, it is you that has to make the decision to be a healthier person. Please don't expect to be able to take a pill and lose weight because nothing worth having is that simple. You will feel accomplished, more confident, healthier, and your life will simply be better if you completely change your lifestyle to accommodate your body. After all, you've only got one.
