Weight Control

Weight control can be a complex and difficult science, involving a whole range of nutrients and exercise programs, science and speculation... sometimes it can be just plain confusing. But weight control always, always boils down to one essential truth. In order to reach and maintain a healthy weight, you must eat a balanced diet and take regular exercise. Whatever else you do, whatever supplements you take to assist in the process, that is always the starting point.

Exercise is the first component of weight control. If you do not get any exercise, you are in trouble. Without exercise, you will never improve your circulation. Without exercise you will never gain lean muscle mass. Without exercise, you can eat the healthiest diet in the world and your body will still be operating well below peak efficiency. Well, well below.

If you haven’t exercised for a while, you are in for a shock. But do not worry, it does get easier. Cardiovascular workouts are important to help improve general fitness and lung capacity, but if you are looking to lose weight and gain lean muscle mass, weight training is where you want to be. Weight training involves lifting weights in a variety of different ways, in some combination of sets and repetitions. The goal is always to beat your own personal best, and work your muscles a little harder each time, which will lead to them developing bigger and stronger than before.

So, you have decided upon an exercise program. What to eat? A balanced diet consists of protein, carbohydrates and fats, especially essential fatty acids. Cutting out any of these aspects will be counterproductive, as all contain essential nutrients that your body needs in order to work properly. The best source of nutrition is obviously good fresh food, fruit and vegetables, prime cuts of meat and dairy products, as well as nuts, seeds and whole grains. However, it is difficult to plan around a balanced diet every day, especially if you lead a busy life like most of us do. And what most of us do is let our nutrition suffer. We grab snacks, we eat processed food, and we don’t realize that we are depriving our bodies of the things that it needs to keep us healthy.

Supplementation can help. Start with a multivitamin, because vitamin deficiency is both bad and easily avoidable. It has been said that the incidence some cancers would go down 90% overnight if everyone started taking a multivitamin daily, and this is not so far from the truth. Meal replacement products such as shakes and bars are a great way to make sure you’re getting all the right nutrients on the move, you can simply mix one up in the morning and take it with you. Some other supplements are beneficial to bodybuilders, including creatine and amino acids, which are proven to enhance workouts and produce improved results. Often these can be added to meal replacement shakes for convenience. Glycogen is another favorite supplement of athletes who like to train hard. It helps keep supplies of glycogen in the muscle tissue high, even during workouts, to prevent a catabolic state from developing where the muscle begins to break itself down in order to fuel the workout. Glycogen can help experience trainers to work out harder for longer, and see better results.

There are also ‘weight loss’ products. How do these work? Many weight loss products work by either stimulating the metabolism to burn more calories, or by preventing the absorption of dietary fat during the digestive process. Supplements that increase metabolic rate may be referred to as thermogenics, or fat busters. These can be effective for some people, though it is important to remember that the best way to permanently increase your base metabolic rate is by building lean muscle mass. Muscle needs energy to support it. Constantly. Therefore the more muscle you have, the more calories you will be burning even while you are sitting around watching television, even while you are fast asleep in bed, you will be spending more energy. That is why getting over the first hurdle is the toughest part of the whole process. Once you get in shape, it is much easier to stay in shape. Conversely, once you get out of shape, it can be very difficult to break bad habits.

It is important not to push yourself to far to fast, less you take a stumble and get discouraged. Set yourself attainable goals, such as improving a very small amount on your last workout, losing an extra pound this week, or whatever works for you. Keep a chart of your progress so that you can see it there in black and white, this will have a great psychological benefit in times when things seem tough. Also, treat yourself. Even if your goal is to control your weight, no food should be off limits. Setting absolute boundaries is psychologically counterproductive, and will just make it more likely that you will fall off the wagon at some point. If you really fancy a cheeseburger, have a cheeseburger. Just so long as it’s just the one, and only once in a while, it won’t hurt.

You should always consult your doctor before embarking on any weight loss program or new exercise regime, and then especially if you experience any symptoms of illness as a result. Do not jeopardize your health.