There are many bad diets out there that will leave you overweight and fatter long-term
By Mark Dilworth — Written on Jul 19, 2012
A fat loss diet plays a huge part in the success of your fat loss, weight loss and body transformation efforts.
There are many bad diets out there that will leave you overweight and fatter long-term. If the diet promotes quick weight loss, run away from it as fast as you can! Your ultimate goal should not be just weight loss.
You need to know your body fat percentage. Don't get caught in the trap of only paying attention to the weigh scale. Its good to know your weight but body fat percentage is much more important as it relates to your health and lean body. Your body's composition (less fat mass and more muscle mass) is the key to real body transformation.
You can't transform your body without significant fat loss and this will lead to lasting weight loss.
Don't confuse a fat loss diet with a quick weight loss diet. The two diets are totally different.
Why a Fat Loss Diet is Important for Lasting Weight Loss
1. A quick weight loss diet leaves you hungry and sometimes starving. You might lose weight in the beginning but you will have low energy, slowed metabolism, a weakened immune system and your body will begin to store fat (starvation mode).
Ultimately, you will regain more weight than you lost when you start to eat normally again (yo-yo effect). That's no way to live in my book.
Healthy, managed nutrition is critical for a healthy body. You need a meal plan you can maintain over time. Fad diets and starvation diets cannot be maintained over time.
The primary cause of weight gain is consistent calorie surpluses, or eating more daily calories than you burn. A slow metabolism is not the main cause of weight gain.
Add whole, natural foods to your menu that you like. You are more likely to stay with a menu loaded with foods you like. Replace the foods that are bad for you with whole, natural foods. This eliminates foods in a box or bag and processed foods.
Set your daily calorie intake based on your basal metabolic rate, your activity level and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little. Maintaining the right amount of calorie deficit on most days (burning more calories than you consume) is the key to burning fat and losing weight.
I don't recommend any diet that omits one of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat). Your body's metabolism needs all 3 macronutrients to work efficiently.
2. A fat loss diet will help you maintain your energy. You will never be hungry or starving because you will eat every 3-4 hours. The food items will be nutritious and help you burn fat.
You will eat enough to fuel your intense weight training and interval cardio workouts. Without these workouts, its impossible to build muscle mass and lean out your body.
Did you know you need to eat within 30-45 minutes to feed your muscles after a tough weight training workout? Do you know what you should eat before and after your workout? Download your free book to find out.
Post-workout nutrition is important to help your body recover from intense exercise (especially weight training). Replenishing your body's fuel will optimize your tissue's repair and growth. And, it will help you recover and get ready for your next workout.
You have to eat enough of the right foods (all the time) for your body to work properly---whether exercising, working, walking or just plain living.
3. If your basal metabolic rate is 1800 calories a day, 1000 calories of food intake is not enough food for you to function properly, let alone exercise and build muscle.
Eating this way for too long will turn your body into a total wreck! The most important thing in your life IS NOT to lose weight. Having a healthy body at a healthy weight and acceptable body fat percentage is important.
Quick weight loss motivation focuses on pounds lost instead of body fat burned and inches lost. Fat loss rules!
Be sure and download your FREE 14-Day Accelerated Fat Loss Program from My Fitness Hut and start building your lean body.