Weight Loss Plan

Is it possible to build a weight loss plan that works permanently to take off the pounds and reduce your risk for the so-called diseases of civilization that are so closely correlated with being overweight? The proper weight loss plan may indeed be out there for you, but remember two things. Number one, there are literally hundreds of weight loss plan options out there, and many of these programs - even ones recommended by esteemed institutions - are supported by scant data and terrible science. Number two, your weight regulation is intimately bound up in all sorts of details regarding your lifestyle, diet, stress levels, genetics, and so forth, so make sure not to rush to judgment and to work through weight loss in consultation with your doctor.

Having mentioned these caveats, let's take a look at which diets work and which don't when put under the clinical microscope. There's an ample and accumulating amount of evidence which suggests that so-called "low carb" or "carb controlling" diets, such as The South Beach Diet, The Atkins Diet, and The Zone Diet, may be uniquely effective at leading to permanent weight loss and better health. Sure, there are plenty of advocates for a slate of alternative diets, such as The Raw Food Diet, The Hollywood Miracle Diet, The Grapefruit Diet, and so forth, but it's important to examine the clinical data regarding the efficacy of all these programs. When you look at the statistics, it becomes clear to most unbiased reviewers that there's something critical about the idea of restricting simple sugars in the diet.

Of course, ideally, your weight loss plan should be buttressed by a program of cardio fitness and flexibility, good sleeping habits, and reduced mental stress. That said, don't count on exercise alone to shed those pounds. We have the phrase "work up an appetite" in our lexicon for a reason: working out makes us hungry. Yes, you can starve yourself, denying your biological urges through "will power" alone, but studies show - again and again - that will power simply isn't enough to lose weight healthfully. Indeed, you may drop pounds if you diet this way, but chances are that you'll lose the weight not from your fat deposits but rather from your organs and muscle tissue.

Even if you don't end up on a highly restrictive "low carb" plan like the Atkins Diet, it's still a wise idea to cut out as many simple sugars as possible - particularly sugars in the form of fructose, which strain the liver during digestion.