Are There Any Weight Loss Wonders? Almost everyone in the Western world (and it’s growing in the East too, especially in Asia) either has gone on a diet themselves or known someone who has. In other words, weight loss is in everyone’s mind and has been now for decades. Unfortunately, it would appear that certainly in North America, more people are having weight issues than ever before. Nowadays even babies can be obese!
If weight loss is an issue for you, there are so many ‘solutions’ out there that there must be one that’s just right for you. There are diets based on calorie counting, based on the reduced size of meals, more protein, and hardly any or no carbs. You name it, there is a diet about it. The weight loss industry is a billion-dollar enterprise. No wonder, when diets don’t work! In fact in the end, after initially losing weight, you gain it back and probably add a bit more. The circle starts again.
There is also a huge industry dealing with weight loss supplements. Sprinkle this on your food to lose pounds while eating what you want…. Take this magic pill and you will get your ideal figure. Again, some people have had success with this approach but the majority of people give up when it doesn’t work for them.
Exercising is also touted as a weight-loss wonder. Unfortunately, while exercise in moderation can give your body an overall better tone and is definitely good for you, it often falls short of shedding those pounds you so want to lose.
Hypnosis and guided meditation are also now becoming very popular in weight loss circles. While this makes perfect sense – after all we basically always do what our subconscious mind suggests – this approach is not for everyone. Many people think this is plain ridiculous and will not even consider it. Others buy CDS and digital downloads and listen to them before going to sleep and claim it has helped them. The basic message these programs offer is that healthy food in moderation is the way to go. The subconscious then embraces this and you are drawn towards healthier food alternatives and maybe your appetite will be somewhat suppressed.
Continuing with this vain there are also people out there that claim we should simply listen to what bodies tell us and only eat when we feel hungry and stop when we have had enough. Today this is a novel approach as hardly anyone remembers what it is like to be hungry as we are inundated with food choices all the time. Our appetite nowadays has more to do with what we fancy than address actual hunger. While this is a great way to go, it needs a lot of discipline. It is also often inconvenient as you might feel hungry when no-one else is which could make meals with your family a problem.
All these approaches need persistence for them to work. Then, if you lose weight, you have to be diligent and stay with the program to keep the weight off.
