If you want to lose weight, selecting the right weight loss
programs is absolutely essential to your success. There are a seemingly
unlimited number of weight loss programs available on the market today
so how can you decide which one is right for you? This is a question I
see a lot from both men and women looking for the right program to
follow. It's a confusing situation to be in I can imagine; wanting to
lose weight but not knowing which program best serves your needs. So
what do you do?
Well, the purpose of this article is to discuss
various aspects and concepts surrounding weight loss programs in hopes
that it will help you be able to select the appropriate program for you.
First things first!
1. Identify what you REALLY want
What
do you really want from your physical body? My online fitness coaching
clients hear this from me all the time. At first it may seem like a
pretty silly question, but it's not. I've learned that the vast majority
of people seeking weight loss really aren't really that interested in
losing weight at all. It's true! In my considerable professional
experience, the majority of people seeking professional fitness coaching
aren't looking to lose weight as much as they'd simply like to feel
good about themselves and avoid the pain associated with the social
pressures of being overweight. Weight loss isn't their true desire, it
simply provides them with the things they are really wanting. In fact, I
will go as far to say that most people really want to eat whatever they
want to eat, do whatever they want to do and live their life as they
deem appropriate. I'm not pointing fingers here, that's what I'd like to
do too. However, being human means we have social pressures and
expectations. At this point in history we are told that a lean, toned
physique is sexy, attractive and desirable. I believe that this is the
reason most people seek weight loss programs, not because of a true
desire to be lean, but an intense desire to be wanted, to be sexy, to be
considered attractive and to feel good about their body when surrounded
by people who's opinions they consider important.
It's perfectly
alright to seek weight loss for any reason at all; because you want to
feel attractive, feel confident in your body or to attract prospective
love interests. Whatever your reason for seeking weight loss, it's very
important that you identify your REAL reason for this pursuit. Once
you've accurately identified this reason/reasons, motivating yourself
toward that goal/goals is a much more enjoyable process. Once this
happens, the weight loss process is not so much about the weight as much
as it's all about you! And that is exactly how it should be.
2. Determine commitment boundaries
This
concept is perhaps the most important of all. I have seen people spend
thousands of dollars on weight loss programs only to abandon that effort
just days into the program. They over-committed themselves and were not
able to follow through. Every weight loss program has a few things in
common. Each of these things will vary from program to program, but the
basic components remain:
- Frequency - how often you must workout
- Intensity - how much effort and intensity you must put into your program
- Time - how much time you must exercise each workout
- Type - the type of exercise(s) you will be doing during a program
This actually has a common name. We in the fitness
industry call this the F.I.T.T principle. Beyond these basics which are
usually associated with the exercise components of your program there
will also be nutritional requirements to any quality weight loss program
that fit perfectly into the same acronym:
- Frequency - describes how often you will eat each day
- Intensity - how rigid or lax your diet is
- Time - how long you must eat this way
- Type - the kind of food and nutrition methodology being used
These are going to be present in any well-developed
weight loss program. Your success is dependent on what you are
realistically willing and able to commit to with regard to each of these
factors. Let's face it, purchasing a weight loss program does not
guarantee success, you must follow the program to achieve results. For
instance, if your program requires a very strict diet with seven days of
intense exercise each week but you aren't a disciplined dieter and have
never worked out before, this hypothetical program probably isn't the
one that is going to serve your needs best. Perhaps you need a program
that has a more developmental approach and allows you more food and
exercise options.
3. Beware of programs that claim to be for everybody
I'm
not saying that there aren't programs that could benefit anyone and
everyone, but I am saying that you are more likely to be successful when
you sign-up for a program that is directed at people just like you.
Programs that attempt to cater to everyone are typically designed to
produce sales more than results. These programs tend to be very
demanding, have very rigid diet expectations and often lead to injury
for those not prepared to handle the demands the program requires. Do
your homework and find a program that is designed with you in mind.
When
I began developing my Body Fat Meltdown weight loss programs for women a
lot of people told me I'd make more sales if I would only market it to
everyone; men, women, older, younger, everybody. While this is
undoubtedly true I couldn't ethically do that because I know that each
of these groups of people have their own unique set of needs and desires
when it comes to physical fitness and weight loss. Therefore, I
developed the Body Fat Meltdown program specifically for newly motivated
women wanting to lose weight without requiring a gym membership so they
could work out each day for thirty minutes or less wherever and
whenever they wanted. I wanted it to be ideal for the at-home exerciser
or for women who need to workout with minimal equipment while traveling.
It needed to take away all excuses for a newly motivated weight loss
participant and that's what it does. By providing exact diets and
exercise instructions the Body Fat Meltdown program ensures success if a
woman will simply follow it for ninety days. This is an example of a
program that has a targeted audience, a specific purpose and a
meaningful method of progression that will lead this specific group of
participants toward their weight loss goals.
4. Make sure the program is challenging, but livable
Be
honest about the type of program your lifestyle will allow you to
partake in. Fitness is an evolution so where you are in life now may not
be where you are down the line, but you must be able to manage your
weight loss programs within the current boundaries that your life
provides. For instance, if you are a single mother with two small
children at home you probably are not going to stick to a ninety day
program where you have to eat brussel sprout and cabbage soup at each
meal while exercising sixty minutes two times each day. It's just not
sustainable. Every program has it's nutrition and exercise requirements
so it's up to you to make sure that those requirements will challenge
you to improve but that also fit into your current living arrangement.
5. The best weight loss programs is one you'll finish
The
most effective program in the world is useless if you don't do it. I
know this first-hand. I've has women sign-up for my Body Fat Meltdown
weight loss programs and proceed to lose twenty-four pounds in the first
thirty days. On the other hand I've had women sign-up and never even
attempt the first training program yielding a result of exactly nothing.
The best weight loss programs you can invest in is one you will
participate in, be challenged by and finish. I can name at least a
hundred weight loss programs off the top of my head that have produced
amazing results for their participants. Conversely, I can assure you
that every one of those programs also has people who purchased, then
barely participated, quit and spent hard-earned money for no results
whatsoever. Ultimately the results you get begin and end with you. They
are dependent on the factors we discussed above and are absolutely
determined by your participation and completion of the program.
Take
these five factors and use them to weed through the vast wilderness of
weight loss programs available to you. Find a program where you are the
targeted participant, one that you can realistically participate in and
sustain from start to finish. If you do these things I firmly believe
you will be successful in your effort to lose weight and look and feel
great.
