Old weight-loss notions debunked

One of our resolutions for 2014 is to get rid of our unhealthy plump midsection, so we were recently happy to catch the Solar TV special telecast, “10 Things You Need to Know About Losing Weight.”

The show was especially helpful because it featured the latest findings about losing weight, debunking some old notions and introducing new parameters that make current health regimens more efficient and productive.

After the fact

For instance, people who think that regular exercise isn’t an efficient way to lose weight should be heartened by findings that some of the effects of exercise make themselves felt long after the fact.

Thus, hours after a brisk walk, instrument readings show that a person continues to benefit from the exercise, even while he’s sleeping, resulting in a doubling of the weight lost.

So, keep exercising, everyone!

The special telecast also came up with new tips on how to maximize the benefits of healthy eating and dieting: Based on the principle that hungry people end up eating more instead of just cutting down “generically” on calories, science-savvy dieters are now more selective and judicious about the entire process.

For instance, just 10 percent more protein in a dieter’s measured food intake makes him feel full longer, so he ends up eating less!

Another tip is that the ingestion of low-fat milk is good for overall weight loss, because it hastens the elimination of some elements that add to a person’s weight.

It’s also been proven that greater variety in the food that’s available ends up making a person eat more and thus gain weight, because it’s visually enticing—so, offering fewer food choices enforces more disciplined eating. And using a smaller plate can result in your eating less, so that simple adjustment can be hugely productive!

Use the stairs

As far as people who hate going to the gym to exercise, the documentary showed that just making it a point to be more physically active at home or at work can do a lot to keep the body toned—and losing weight.

Climb the stairs instead of using the escalator or elevator; walk a few blocks to the office instead of commuting all the way; visit fellow employees’ sections to discuss something instead of just communicating via phones or other gadgets—those extra steps may sound too simple to bother with, but they do add up—big time!

More tips

Other tips: Turning liquids into thick soups makes you feel full longer, so you don’t hanker for snacks between meals. And setting common goals with other weight-conscious family members or friends results in better motivation and faster achievement of group goals!

In all of these updated weight-reduction programs, state-of-the-art equipment and measuring devices play a major part—but, their findings have to be astutely analyzed by experienced professionals.

The search for those experts isn’t easy, however, because the weight-reduction industry has its share of “gut-feel” practitioners who opt for a less scientific and more divertingly intuitive approach.

Above all else, an understanding of motivational psychology is key because, while it’s true that we are what we eat it’s also been proven that we can eventually become—what we (ardently) wish for!