Despite the advertising hype, there really is no supplement or natural weight loss aid that negates the need for diet and exercise. The reality is that a combination of improved diet, appropriate physical exercise, and perhaps certain weight loss aids that assist with specific individual needs is the most likely way to achieve lasting weight control.
There are numerous natural weight loss products on the market, and more seem to pop up every day. Each promises to be nearly miraculous in it's effects and people buy the latest and greatest weight loss aid with eager anticipation, hoping that it will finally be the answer to their weight problems. They want to believe that a pill, or a patch, or a tea, etc.. will be all they need to lose weight and that diet and exercise won't be necessary (because dieting and exercising are difficult). Even though deep down they probably know that the latest weight loss miracle being hyped is no better than all the things they've tried before, they want to believe it will work, and so they buy it, only to be disappointed again.
Now this is not to say that natural weight loss aids are all completely worthless. In fact, many do exactly what they are supposed to do. For example, hoodia gordonii (at least the real stuff) does seem to be a very effective appetite suppressant. So, if the main reason that you have trouble losing weight is because you have out of control hunger that makes you eat excssively, hoodia may be a big help. The thing is, the vast majority of people do not overeat, or eat too much of the wrong things, because they are hungry. They may eat out of boredom, out of habit, out of a need to satisfy a craving, or out of a need to soothe some emotional issue they are dealing with, but they don't eat out of hunger. Hoodia is not going to help you if you aren't eating out of hunger.
Certain natural weight loss aids can help improve the weight loss results you get from diet and exercise. The thing is, to get benefits from such products, you hav to do the diet and exercise, but many people buy these products in the hope that they will replace diet and exercise, and they simply do not work this way.
Some natural weight loss supplements work by blocking fat absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Blocking fat absorption can create some weight loss (at the expense of some unpleasant side effects like loose, greasy stools and potentially deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins), but any food eaten in excessively large quantities will eventually be stored as fat, so simply blocking fat absorption will not prevent weight gain. Once more it comes down to the fact that there's no substitute for diet an exercise for natural weight loss.
For natural weight loss, it is clear that diet and exercise must be part of the overall program. No weight loss aid by itself can replace healthy eating and increased activity. Even the hype-intensive ads for weight loss aids make this point, although it is usually hidden in the fine print.
Although diet and exercise are undoubtedly the fundamental requirements for natural weight loss, you may find certain weight loss aids helpful. The main thing is to choose such products on the basis of how well the reported effects of such products suit your needs. For instance, if you're already eating a diet low in fat, it doesn't make much sense to purchase a fat-blocking supplement.
Once you have your natural weight loss plan figured out in terms of your eating plan, your exercise routine, and your choice of weight loss products, there's just one thing that needs to be done. You need to be able to stay on the program consistently over the long-term! The number one problem with most weight loss plans is that people don't stick to the plan consistently long enough to get lasting results.
In several years of working with people on weight loss, I have observed that the vast majority of people will be able to stick to their natural weight loss plan for more than a few weeks in a row. Now, many people work on losing weight for many months or even years, but because their efforts are not consistent, most are unsuccessful at losing weight and keeping it off.
Recent research comparing different natural weight loss approaches found something very interesting. The overall success rates of most of the currently popular diet programs were about the same. The success or failure of any given diet had little to do with what the approach was. In other words, low carb, low fat, calorie restriction, eating for blood type, etc., really didn't matter. What mattered was whether or not the individual stuck to the program! To sum it up, it doesn't matter so much what you do to lose weight (within reason), as much as it matters that you do it consistenty long-term!
Since sticking with a natural weight loss plan is the key to success, it would likely be beneficial to investigate various methods for getting control of your mind and emotions. I include several of the most effective of these techniques in my E-Book, "Training Your Brain For Weight Loss". Other resources include Anthony Robbins, Dr. Phil McGraw, Emotional Freedom Technique, Neurolinguistic Programming, and self-hypnosis.
As you can see, there really is no short-cut to effective natural weight loss. The secret is to incorporate diet, exercise, and weight loss products that suit your particular requirements and then have the techniques to keep your mind on track to stick with your program. Once you learn how to control your thoughts and emotions to keep yourself on track, weight loss success is simply a matter of time.
There are numerous natural weight loss products on the market, and more seem to pop up every day. Each promises to be nearly miraculous in it's effects and people buy the latest and greatest weight loss aid with eager anticipation, hoping that it will finally be the answer to their weight problems. They want to believe that a pill, or a patch, or a tea, etc.. will be all they need to lose weight and that diet and exercise won't be necessary (because dieting and exercising are difficult). Even though deep down they probably know that the latest weight loss miracle being hyped is no better than all the things they've tried before, they want to believe it will work, and so they buy it, only to be disappointed again.
Now this is not to say that natural weight loss aids are all completely worthless. In fact, many do exactly what they are supposed to do. For example, hoodia gordonii (at least the real stuff) does seem to be a very effective appetite suppressant. So, if the main reason that you have trouble losing weight is because you have out of control hunger that makes you eat excssively, hoodia may be a big help. The thing is, the vast majority of people do not overeat, or eat too much of the wrong things, because they are hungry. They may eat out of boredom, out of habit, out of a need to satisfy a craving, or out of a need to soothe some emotional issue they are dealing with, but they don't eat out of hunger. Hoodia is not going to help you if you aren't eating out of hunger.
Certain natural weight loss aids can help improve the weight loss results you get from diet and exercise. The thing is, to get benefits from such products, you hav to do the diet and exercise, but many people buy these products in the hope that they will replace diet and exercise, and they simply do not work this way.
Some natural weight loss supplements work by blocking fat absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Blocking fat absorption can create some weight loss (at the expense of some unpleasant side effects like loose, greasy stools and potentially deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins), but any food eaten in excessively large quantities will eventually be stored as fat, so simply blocking fat absorption will not prevent weight gain. Once more it comes down to the fact that there's no substitute for diet an exercise for natural weight loss.
For natural weight loss, it is clear that diet and exercise must be part of the overall program. No weight loss aid by itself can replace healthy eating and increased activity. Even the hype-intensive ads for weight loss aids make this point, although it is usually hidden in the fine print.
Although diet and exercise are undoubtedly the fundamental requirements for natural weight loss, you may find certain weight loss aids helpful. The main thing is to choose such products on the basis of how well the reported effects of such products suit your needs. For instance, if you're already eating a diet low in fat, it doesn't make much sense to purchase a fat-blocking supplement.
Once you have your natural weight loss plan figured out in terms of your eating plan, your exercise routine, and your choice of weight loss products, there's just one thing that needs to be done. You need to be able to stay on the program consistently over the long-term! The number one problem with most weight loss plans is that people don't stick to the plan consistently long enough to get lasting results.
In several years of working with people on weight loss, I have observed that the vast majority of people will be able to stick to their natural weight loss plan for more than a few weeks in a row. Now, many people work on losing weight for many months or even years, but because their efforts are not consistent, most are unsuccessful at losing weight and keeping it off.
Recent research comparing different natural weight loss approaches found something very interesting. The overall success rates of most of the currently popular diet programs were about the same. The success or failure of any given diet had little to do with what the approach was. In other words, low carb, low fat, calorie restriction, eating for blood type, etc., really didn't matter. What mattered was whether or not the individual stuck to the program! To sum it up, it doesn't matter so much what you do to lose weight (within reason), as much as it matters that you do it consistenty long-term!
Since sticking with a natural weight loss plan is the key to success, it would likely be beneficial to investigate various methods for getting control of your mind and emotions. I include several of the most effective of these techniques in my E-Book, "Training Your Brain For Weight Loss". Other resources include Anthony Robbins, Dr. Phil McGraw, Emotional Freedom Technique, Neurolinguistic Programming, and self-hypnosis.
As you can see, there really is no short-cut to effective natural weight loss. The secret is to incorporate diet, exercise, and weight loss products that suit your particular requirements and then have the techniques to keep your mind on track to stick with your program. Once you learn how to control your thoughts and emotions to keep yourself on track, weight loss success is simply a matter of time.
About the Author:
Dr. Best has been assisting people with weight loss since 1992. To get additional information, and to access Dr. Best's E-Book, "Training Your Brain For Weight Loss", visit his website dedicated to natural weight loss.
