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Home > Manufacturers > Product Categories > Five Reasons People Fail in Achieving Their Fat-Loss Goals
Five Reasons People Fail in Achieving Their Fat-Loss Goals By Mike Mahler 
Every January, millions of people make New Year's resolutions to lose fat and get healthier. They start off with extreme enthusiasm, telling themselves this is the year they'll finish what they start; this is the year they'll finally divorce that unwanted fat that's been their companion these lo, too many, years. This is the year they'll get healthy, energetic, and reclaim their sex drive that's has been dormant since the Clinton administration. A few weeks later, frustrated by their body's inadequate, less-than-magical transformation, they return to spending their time on those ever-productive activities: eating junk food and watching late-night television. Why work hard to make meaningful changes when instant gratification is ever-available? Many people start with the best intentions, but few people follow through. There are many reasons people flake out, and in this article I'll focus on five major reasons people fail to achieve their fat-loss goals and how you can avoid these common pitfalls. Let's get started.
1. Expecting Miraculous Changes Overnight It's laughable how people who've been fat for years will expect miraculous changes in mere weeks. I've had online training clients whining because they don't notice any big difference after two weeks training! You didn't get fat overnight, nor will you get fit and in shape overnight. Did you get fat in only a few weeks? No, it happened gradually, over the course of several months, or even years and it's unreasonable to expect total physical transformation in a few weeks. Worse, if you've spent several years fat, your body has created a set point to keep you at that weight and it takes months of consistent training and healthy nutrition to overcome that tipping point, then push the body into the desired direction. Most trainees give up long before they hit this tipping point, which is a real shame. Why do people give up so easily? One, we're a quick-fix society, lacking patience and perseverance, we want changes now! Marketers are aware of this trait and feed us the lies we want to hear. How many advertisements have you seen wherein fat people acquire their dream physiques in twelve weeks--or less? What about ads for diet pills promising a thirty-pound fat loss in thirty days? The part the shady marketers leave out is that people who've been in great shape can let themselves go, then shape up in twelve-weeks. It's far easier to get back into shape then to get into good shape for the first time.
The reality (that which people don't want to hear and unscrupulous marketers don't want you to know) is that it takes many months--and even years--of dedication to transform your body and your health. This is why you must make it a part of your lifestyle, not a thirty-day distraction. Your commitment to the long haul of acquiring desirable levels of health and vitality (and maintaining them) means you'll have to eat right, and work out consistently, for the rest of your life. This is reality: accept it and overcome your "instant results" addiction. Your only goal for your first month of training is making proper diet and exercise an effective part of your lifestyle. Note your starting weight, and take some measurements for a baseline (but neither weigh yourself every week or nor check your measurements) then shift your focus to regular training and healthy eating.
2. Focusing On Calories People overemphasize calories when trying to lose fat. How much you eat is a critical factor in fat loss, but what you're eating is more important. Do you think 1500 calories worth of Snickers bars has the same effect on your body as 1500 calories of high-quality protein, green vegetables and essential fatty acids? The Snickers option, void of nutrition, won't help you reach your goals, while whole foods will. Focusing on calories creates an illusion that as long as we don't exceed a caloric number, we can eat what we want. Sure you may end up losing weight, but not the kind you want. Say "goodbye" to lean muscle and "hello" to skinny fat! Remember: you don't have to take up a lot of space if you're fat.
Some people say that overeating healthy food will make you fat. After all, calories are calories and too much of any food will add fat. In theory, that's true, but when was the last time you binged on broccoli? Have you ever had an insatiable desire for more and more steamed vegetables? Have you ever eaten a cup of raw almonds, then went on to eat five more cups? Unlike overly-processed, sugar-laden foods, healthy, whole foods nourish the body. When you consume the correct amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, you'll find you don't need to eat so much to feel satisfied. Bonus: your body actually puts high-quality nutrition to good use, bringing your physique goals closer within reach. Translation: you'll have more energy and feel (and look) better. Processed junk foods are a caloric waste, lacking nutrition and leaving the body feeling cheated and unsatisfied, thus grasping for more. This is why you might eat an entire box of Cheerios and still feel "hungry", or grab a fast food repast, then crave a refuel a mere two hours later. Besides their utter lack of nutrition, these foods of commerce actually tax your digestive system, wasting your vital energies. Focus on healthy food, that your body can easily assimilate, and you'll no longer need those afternoon naps at work...then you can stay wide awake and pretend you're actually working!
Instead of counting calories, focus on eating healthy food; eat as much as you want until you're satisfied. Don't buy any junk foot or keep any on hand, if you have it around you won't resist, but it's unlikely you'll drive to the store in the middle of the night to get your cookie fix. One hundred per cent of your food, six days a week, should be the highest quality nutrition possible. Then, one day per week, have a "cheat" day in which you eat whatever you want in whatever quantities you desire. Not only is this great mentally, but it gives you something to look forward to. According to Joel Marion (The Cheater’s Diet) this eating schedule has hormonal benefits, since weekly "cheats" boost leptin (a fat burning hormone) levels. Leptin levels dive after a few days of caloric restriction, causing weight loss to come to a halt. You must continue lowering calories to keep the weight loss going, which results in misery. A more effective (and realistic) approach is scheduling a no-holds-barred cheat day each week. This ramps up the leptin levels--and keep them up--for several days. Have fun with your cheat day and enjoy it guilt-free.
3. Following a Low-Fat Diet Low-fat diets are a crime against humanity. Fat is an important macro-nutrient which should compose at least 20% of your overall calories. Higher levels of healthy fats are even better. Healthy fat keep our skin supple, is a great source of steady energy--keeping blood sugar levels stable--and is vital for healthy hormone production. Low-fat consumption equals low testosterone production in men and low progesterone production in women. You low-fat dieters can kiss your sex drive and vitality goodbye! Further, these hormones are critical for building and maintaining muscle mass and the less muscle mass you have, the more likely you are to become fat and weak.
Not only does adequate dietary fat intake positively benefit physique composition, but people on low-fat diets tend to be irritable and hungry. Healthy fat sources, such as pistachios, raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, olive oil, avocados, Udo’s Choice oil and coconut oil are all great options. Snacking on almonds and pumpkin seeds during the day will keep your hunger at bay and works very well for anyone trying to lose weight and gain energy. You can even eat a tablespoon of oil between meals to stave off hunger. Make sure to have some fat with each meal and you'll feel satisfied much longer.
For Part II, click here!
About the Author: Mike Mahler is a strength coach and kettlebell trainer based in Las Vegas. He is the author of The Aggressive Strength Solution For Size And Strength. Sign up for his free online magazine at www.mikemahler.com |
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