Why Most Diets Fail

by Debi Darline

Dieting is not effective in controlling weight over the long term. You may get a temporary weight loss but you are 95% more likely to regain the weight after you stop the diet. The worst fact about dieting is that after a diet, you will probably gain more weight (fat) than previously and you will have more difficulty in losing the weight again. This is called the Yo Yo effect.

I know we all deny the fact that we never regain all the weight back, much less gain more fat than we had before. But in reality we do, it’s FACT, black and white, period! Please let me explain.

The scientific reason why most of the diet fails is that 200,000 years ago humans originated with a defense mechanism to protect itself from starvation. When stores (food) would become scarce, our bodies use a defense mechanism to protect human kind form extinction. This defense mechanism causes changes in the metabolism, hormonal productions, and psychological systems of our bodies. Even now when food is not so scarce this preservation mode still exists

Decreases in metabolism, loss of muscle, increase in the fat storing enzymes & hormones and reducing the fat burning enzymes & hormones are the results of this self preservation or Starvation mode. Your body will begin to decrease the thyroid output, and increase the appetite, resulting in you feeling like you are starving. Due to the lack of fuel your energy levels will sharply decrease and you will find it harder and harder to concentrate. The body is not designed to work without fuel, so now the body is looking for other places to get that fuel.

We assume the body will first burn the fuel (food) we ingest, then it will burn the stored fuel (fat), and since we have so much extra energy stored as fat, that is what is burned first. Yea! Sorry not true. And on top of this we will not even consider that we will burn muscle tissue.

When the body is triggers into what is called Starvation Response mode, it begins to look for a ways to conserve energy. Muscle is the number 1 burner of energy, so getting rid of some of the muscle will reduce energy consumption. This reduction involves all muscle groups, including your heart. Go to http://MyDietForWeightLoss.com/Starvation-Mode for more information on Starvation Mode.

The only way for you to lose body fat is for you to create a calorie deficit. This means on an average you must burn more calories than you consume in any given day. There are two ways to do this.

1) Decreasing the amount of calories you ingest. 2) Increase the amount of calories your burn.

The best way to do this is NOT to starve yourself by following a low calorie diet, but instead to burn the fat with exercise.

Actually, it may seem backwards but eating more of the right kinds of food and exercise to burn off the fat is the healthiest way for you to diet. Exercise allows you to create the calorie deficit. It also burns the fat without losing muscle and slowing down your metabolism. Eating more gives your body the vitamins and minerals it needs were low calorie diets does just the opposite.

By using the three combo approach to permanent fat loss, nutrition, cardio, and weight training (both cardio and weight training also involve stretching) you can increase your results exponentially!

About the Author:

Health writer Debi Darline has other articles on the best diet for you at MyDietForWeightLoss.com. Follow this link for more information on why most diets fail and Starvation Mode.