For Natural Weight Loss - Eat Whole Foods

Natural weight loss refers to all the methods of dropping pounds in a natural manner - such as altering your eating habits and adding some exercise into your daily routine. I class unnatural weight loss as the initial extreme loss following starting a crash diet, or weight loss caused by a liquid diet or the use of slimming pills.

Crash dieting - cutting your daily calorie intake to less than 1100 calories - gives an immediate dramatic weight reduction, but it isn't fat that your body is shedding. It's water and muscle. Reduction in muscle means that your body requires fewer calories to function, so you'll just pile the weight back on as soon as the crash diet finishes. A liquid diet with meal replacement "shakes" will result in similar weight gain when it is finished (and means you will not be getting much of the fibre your body needs).

Slimming pills stop your body absorbing fat from the foods you eat. Sounds like the ideal solution, but I don't like it. One of my close friends tried them, despite my pleas not to, because all the other girls in the office were on them, and one girl had lost 7lb in a week. Far too much weight loss far too quickly!

My friend spent $25 on the pills and took them for 2 days, most of which she spent in the loo! She felt so ill and lethargic, she threw the rest away. I sensibly kept my mouth shut and heroically repressed the "I told you so." that I was tempted to say.

I think I would have got a punch on the nose!

It's no good trying gimmicks and quick fixes. The extra weight didn't go on within a week, so won't come off any quicker - in fact it takes longer to lose than gain, as the body hoards excess fat like a miser hoards gold.

I believe the best method of natural weight reduction is to eat a wholefood diet. This is not a specific "diet", just a set of sensible guidelines:-

1. Eat regularly - at least 3 meals a day, with a healthy snack every couple of hours.
2. Take time to eat, chew thoroughly and never eat "on the move".
3. Eat a variety of different foods every day, and a rainbow of colours where fruit and vegetables are concerned.
4. Drink at least 2 litres - 8 glasses - of water a day.

Try to avoid packaged and processed ready meals and TV dinners. A wholefood diet revolves around lean meat and fish in small quantities (or soya or pulses for vegetarians), wholegrains like oatmeal, wheat, barley and rye (to name just a few), lots of fruit and vegetables, and a small amount of "good" fats (unsaturated), such as those contained in nuts, seeds and olive oil. Too much tea and coffee should be avoided (caffeine blocks some vitamin absorption), and alcohol consumption should be moderate.

Salt and sugar should be avoided where possible.

Following these guidelines and factoring 30 minutes exercise into your daily routine should result in improved health, increased vitality and if that were not enough, around 1lb a week fat loss.

I'm Carol J Bartram and I hold qualifications in Personal Training, Nutrition and Pilates. I believe that a healthy lifestyle is a balance of exercise, sensible eating and some relaxation - Work, Eat and Play! If you would like to learn how to fit all these into a hectic schedule, please visit my website Natural Weight Loss Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_Bartram

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