If you’re trying to lose weight, chances are high that this isn’t the first time. And each time you go on a diet or exercise plan, you probably do some research. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to find all sorts of weight loss advice, plans and diets to help you. But there’s also a downside to all that information. It can be overwhelming.
To make things even worse, much of the information is contradictory. A web search will produce one result that tells you exercise is the way to go and another will tell you that exercise doesn’t dpo much. One will recommend that you cut out carbs and others say that carbs are necessary.
How to Deal with Weight Loss Information Overload
If you try to take in all the information you find, it could make you confused, discouraged and/or, perhaps worst of all, you could end up on a plan that is damaging to your health. Instead of trying to wade through it all, you need to find ways to filter the information to make it easier to determine what is really helpful.
As you do your research on the best ways to lose weight, keep the following points in mind to help you cut through the clutter of advice.
1. If It’s Too Good (or Easy) to Be True …
No one can be blamed for being tempted by promises of reaching your target weight in 10 days – or by taking a pill. The truth is that weight loss is not a fast or easy thing to do. If it was, then why would so many struggle with it? A great way to cut out a lot of the information you come across is to simply ignore anything that seems too easy to be true.
2. You Need to Maintain Your Nutrition
It’s also easy to mistake weight loss for a numbers game. It seems to make sense. If you simply eat fewer calories than you burn each day, you are bound to shed some pounds. But the problem is that your body needs a minimum amount of nutrition each day to maintain the energy balance you need to lose weight.
If your body doesn’t get that minimum nutrition, it goes into survival mode and that could have severe health implications.
According to Canada’s Food Guide, a 31 to 50 year-old man, with moderate daily physical activity, needs approximately 2,700 calories per day of energy to remain healthy. For women in the same age group, it’s 2,000 calories per day.
How does this help you filter information? Stay away from low-calorie diets, like those that only give you 800 to 1500 calories per day.
3. Temporary Plans Don’t Work
Only a rare few permanently lose weight from temporary diets. 95% of those who lost weight on a diet report that all or more of the weight returns within five years. Weight loss isn’t a one-time chore, it’s an ongoing healthier lifestyle.
4. You Need to Find What Works for You
Another tempting option for ways to lose weight is to choose the most popular. After all, can millions of people be wrong? In short, yes they can. Look at it this way: your body is unique. The best way for you to lose weight is a to develop unique combination of factors that, while they work well for you, might not produce the same results in someone else. So if a diet is designed to work for everyone, it really isn’t the best choice for anyone.
5. You Can’t Do it – Any of It – on Your Own
We’ve told you before that everyone would benefit and enjoy more success if they sought the help and guidance of friends, family, medical professionals and nutrition and weight loss specialists. It’s really a good idea to have support to help you get through the challenges of your weight loss. But, even when you’re just doing your research and trying to cut through the deluge of information, that same support network can point you in the right direction.
In a way, it’s a good idea to seek out the advice of others first. That way you will spend less time weeding out all the false weight loss promises and dead-end options. The nutrition consultants at your local Herbal One Centre will answer your questions, help to point you in the right direction and ultimately develop a nutrition and weight management program specifically to meet your goals and maintain your health.