In order to understand dieting we need first to understand something of how the body works. If we go back in time about 8,000 years we find humans are hunter gatherers and therefore NOT able to eat every day but only when they had a successful hunt. This could mean that days went by without food. The body therefore needed to store protein for energy in a way we could carry with us. It did this by converting it to fat. This meant we had a store of energy for times when there was NO food available. Of course 8,000 years in evolutionary time is just a heartbeat. Therefore our bodies work much the same way today.
In the developed world today food is plentiful and available from well stocked stores on every corner. The result of this is we put on un-necessary weight. When the body cannot get the food it is used to getting such as when we go on a diet it goes into famine mode. The result is, as soon as the diet is finished the body will store as much food as it can in the fatty tissues against the next famine. This is why we get the yo-yo effect. A diet followed by gaining weight to a few more lbs, than before the diet, followed by another diet and round and round we go.
Being overweight is of course a great danger to our health. Among the diseases you are in danger of suffering from as a result of overweight or obesity are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type two diabetes which is guaranteed, the question is NOT IF you will get it, but WHEN. Heart attack, stroke and even many cancers are related to being overweight. The Irish government figure for overweight is 60% of the population are more than two stone overweight.
We therefore must do something about keeping our weight down without dieting. What is needed is to give the body complete nutrition without empty calories. This requires taking supplements for vitamins and minerals in addition to taking care of the cravings. When the body needs something, say a vitamin, it says eat, you eat but what you eat does not contain what the body wants so it again says eat. You can see the result of this is overeating.
If I were to ask you, have you seen any old people recently? You answer yes, have you seen any fat old people? Your answer can only be NO because fat people do NOT get old they die.
The answer to our weight problem is quite straight forward. We need to give our body the complete nutrition it needs without the empty calories we get from high sugar and processed foods. The result of this strategy is, we will lose weight naturally without being hungry or suffering from cravings. The best news about this method of losing weight is that having lost the weight our body is NOT in famine mode and therefore THE WEIGHT STAYS OFF. How fantastic is that?
The only thing I have not mentioned so far is exercise. Apart from starving ourselves we will NOT lose weight and keep it off without exercise. I am NOT saying you need to join a gym and pump iron. Sensible exercise includes, going for a walk, doing a bit of gardening, even housework such as spring cleaning is good exercise.
To conclude, a few small changes in your lifestyle such as sensible eating, proper nutrition and a little exercise are what are needed to give you a longer, healthier and more vibrant life. Thus giving you every chance of being around to see your great-grandchildren.
For more information go to my website, then click on the word dieting in the left panel.
My name is Liam Nolan from Galway in the beautiful west of Ireland. My website, http://www.wellnessandwealth.ie, is dedicated to enhancing the lives of those we touch by helping people to reach their goals. The four areas of wellness are; physical wellness, financial wellness, environmental wellness and personal wellness. For more info, please read the articles below, or visit my website at http://www.wellnessandwealth.ie
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