Posted by Judi Lake

Finding diets that work fast is not as challenging today as it was a few years ago. Today, with the internet, it is easy to find almost anything.

The real challenge today is not finding diets that work fast; but rather finding the right diet for you…one that you can stick with long enough to lose the weight you want to lose; and then simply go into “maintenance mode” to maintain neutral weight gain.

Different weight loss plans work on different principals; but some things are common to all diet plans and will speed weight loss whether you are on a “no-carb” program or a low calorie plan. You should always:

1) Try to get some aerobic exercise daily. Walking or swimming is best for weight loss; not running. Stair climbing works too. 2) Drink plenty of water . Cold water is best because you will burn calories heating it up. 3) Eat breakfast every day; it gets the metabolism running at its peak at the start of the day. 4) Be sure that the diet plan you choose allows you to eat often. I will explain the importance of that below.

What many people don’t understand; and the reason why many diets fail; is that they don’t take into account the body’s natural reaction to embarking on a weight loss program . Our bodies get accustomed to what we feed them. If you suddenly start eating less and give the body fewer calories than what it is used too; the natural consequence is for the body to slow the metabolism in order to conserve energy (calories). So by eating fewer calories; the body will burn fewer calories.

The body doesn’t “know” that it is over weight; it just “knows” that it is not getting the calories that it expects; so it protects itself from starvation by burning fewer calories. Go stand outside when it is cold…and the body will protect itself from freezing by making you shiver. It is the same natural reaction; self preservation initiated by the body; not by the brain.

This is why low calorie diets are so hard to achieve success with. The premise on which the diet is based will cause the body to slow the metabolism; making it harder to lose weight .

I am not a fan of no-carb diets either; because I don’t think that it can be healthy to try to avoid almost an entire food group. Eating mainly low glycemic carbs is preferable to avoiding most carbs altogether.

All of that said; losing weight does come down to being simply a matter of burning more calories than we eat. So how do we eat fewer calories; still feel satisfied; and avoid the natural metabolic decrease that is sure to follow?

Many people are seeing great results using weight loss plans based upon the principle of “Calorie Shifting”.

Calorie shifting is simply a method by which the body is fed often enough to prevent the inevitable metabolic slow down of reduced calorie diets. With calorie shifting; it is important to eat at least four times daily; eating a balanced and healthy mix from all of the food groups. Most importantly; it is not so much what you eat as when you eat it. By eating the right foods at the right times of day; your body will never feel deprived and go into “survival mode”; causing your metabolism to ebb in order to conserve calories.

If you would like to learn more about finding diets that work fast; and preview the most popular weight loss programs available today; please visit: http://www.TheBodyGood.net

by Carter James
Carter James has over twenty-five years of experience in the Health, Fitness and Diet fields with special emphasis on weight loss and strength training. Look for his newest book “TheBodyGood” this fall.