Weight Loss: FAQ

Copyright 2006 Adam Waxler

As my weight loss web sites gain more popularity, I find myself answering more and more emails with questions about various weight loss programs and other diet tips. I have noticed that many of these questions about weight loss are very similar to one another. Therefore, I have put together a list of the ten most frequently asked questions about diets and weight loss

1. What is the best diet plan or weight loss program? My answer to this is simple…any diet that provides all the nutrition that you need for health, and in addition, provides fewer calories than your body burns.  While this may not be the answer you wanted to hear, the fact is there is no one weight loss program that is best for everyone, you must research the various weight loss plans and find the one that is best for you. Just make sure your diet is a healthy diet.

2. How much should I weigh? Your doctor can answer that question most accurately. More important than how much you weigh is your body mass index (bmi), which measures your height against your weight. There are plenty of free bmi calculators all over the internet.

3. How can I keep off the weight that I lose? The best way to lose weight is gradually. Most weight loss experts would agree that 1-2 pounds per week is the best rate to lose weight. If you lose weight gradually and re-educate both yourself and your body about food, you’ll have a good start. The secret to keeping weight off is to balance your energy needs with your food intake. Eat enough calories to supply your body’s energy needs, but not so many that your body stores the excess as fat.

4. What is the connection between obesity and diabetes? Obesity increases the risks of a number of chronic health conditions, and diabetes is one of them. People who are more than ten percent overweight increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes substantially.

5. How do I decrease my intake of sugar? Obviously, you can decrease your intake of sugar by cutting out sweets and refined snacks, but you should also watch out for ‘hidden’ sugars. Check ingredients. High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both simple sugars that add lots of calories and little nutrition.

6. How often should I weigh myself? Most diet experts recommend that you weigh yourself no more than once a week. Some go so far as to tell you to throw out the scale entirely! Personally, I think that people who are trying to lose weight should focus less on what they weigh. Yes, I know that sounds strange, but people who are trying to lose weight should focus on how they look and feel more than how much they weight. A more accurate measure of your weight loss is your clothing size. If your clothing is feeling looser, you’re doing great.

7. Do I really have to exercise? YES! The truth is it will be a lot harder to lose weight if you do not exercise. A half hour of moderate exercise daily is the minimum activity level for healthy weight loss. You can get it walking, running, cleaning your house – anything active burns calories.

8. What’s a calorie? A calorie is a measure of energy. Foods are rated with calories based on the amount of energy they provide to the body when consumed.

9. Can I lose weight without changing my diet? The best weight loss results happen when you burn more calories than you consume. If you only need to lose a small amount of weight and your diet is generally healthy, you can lose weight by increasing your activity level to burn more calories. If your diet is poor, or if you’re more than a few pounds overweight, you really need to learn a new, more healthy way of eating, or you’ll put the weight back on when you go back to ‘normal’ eating.

10. What are the best all around diet foods? The diet foods mentioned below are five of the best diet foods that should be included as part of any weight loss program and diet plan. 1. Whole Grain Breads 2. Fish 3. Spinach 4. Olive Oil 5. Pink Grapefruit