The Confusion with Weight Loss Programs

There is no doubt that the commercial diet and weight loss industry has made the process of losing weight and becoming more fit unnecessarily complex and confusing. With so many different methods and systems claiming to be “the best” it is nearly impossible for the average person to wade through all of the hype to determine which direction they should proceed. Over the years I have seen dozens of exercise and diet fads that have claimed to be “the ultimate solutions” come and go within a few short years. The reason that these programs don’t remain popular is really simple, they just don’t deliver the miracles that were promised in their marketing. Often times, these programs work great for a few weeks. But, over the long haul most dieters end up right back where they started (or worse). When trolling the isles at the local book store for the perfect diet or exercise plan I believe that most consumers forget to ask the basic, essential questions when they are considering how to take on the task of losing weight and getting back “in shape”. For starters, when a particular book or course claims to be “the best” we should always ask: The best for whom? Everyone is different. We have various age groups, genders, lifestyles, preferences, goals, and health histories to consider. This can make program development a rather complex undertaking. So, it is unlikely that any one diet or exercise program will be effective for the many different physical, situational and emotional needs of each person. Second, we should ask: Best under what circumstances? Is the person going to train at home or at a gym? What kind of equipment is available to them? How much time do they have available to train? What are their specific goals? Again, it is difficult to imagine a single, generic program that will address the individual circumstances that people have while approaching their fitness program.
Finally, we should ask the most obvious question: Does it sound to good (and / or too easy) to be true? If so, you can bet it is more than likely a load of crap. Unscrupulous marketers have been selling snake oil disguised as miracle cures for many years. Unfortunately, this is still common today. This type of marketing has grown to be much more sophisticated over the years and it is usually, cleverly disguised as a new “scientific breakthrough”. If the program doesn’t require much effort or change of lifestyle on your part it is unlikely to work. Pills and powders that claim to provide “effortless” weight loss should definitely be filed under the category of too good to be true. The painful truth is, you do have to change your behaviors in order to succeed. As the old saying goes, “if you keep on doing the things you’ve been doing, you’ll keep on getting the things you’ve been getting”. Making the necessary changes to your diet and exercise patterns is not complicated to learn and you won’t have to kill yourself in the gym. But, it is necessary to make lifestyle changes and put forth effort if you plan to have long term success.

If you take a close look at many of the popular methods of dieting they all have their share of advantages and disadvantages. The same can be said for the exercise programs that are being marketed in the bookstores and on the internet. Currently I am developing an extensive e-book that will put the pieces together from a few of the most effective diet and exercise methodologies and present them in such a way that will enable you to customize them to meet your unique needs, goals and preferences. Stay Tuned!