A Picture Tells A Thousand Lies
February 10, 2009 by John Neyman
Filed under Weight Loss AND You
When it comes to selling a weight loss product, the oldest trick in the book is for companies to be liberal with the airbrush. They take an image of an overweight person, slumped and unhappy, and use this as their pre-diet shot. For the post-diet shot, the same person is shown, complete with huge grin, several stone lighter and looking healthy and happy.
The images are meant to convince people that whatever product the company is trying to sell is effective. They are using a visual aid; while this is an accepted part of marketing practice, when it comes to weight loss these images usually lie.
A person skilled with an image editing programme can achieve the same weight loss look using the exact same photograph of the person as overweight. Some companies are even blatant enough to do just this; you can usually tell as the person is wearing the same clothes and facial expression. Some are a little less obvious, perhaps making a slim person appear larger for the before photo and using a real shot for the after picture. However it is done, it is rare nowadays for a product to be marketed using genuine photographs.
Even if you can’t see any airbrushing, various techniques are used in these infamous before and after shots. In the before shot, the subject will usually be slumping, their face miserable, their hair unbrushed and no make up applied. Even if you didn’t change the weight of the person, the after shot – complete with make up, a smile and neatly styled hair – looks much better.
These images are designed to fool, and unfortunately, they do. Instead of being convinced to use a product or diet due to their before and after shots, read the small print and do your research. Try and look online to see if anyone has ever actually had any success with the product before investing. And remember, the most reputable companies feel no need to use these photographs; they are confident enough in their methods to be able to shy away from such blatant trickery.
Laxatives: Weight Loss At A Cost
February 10, 2009 by John Neyman
Filed under Weight Loss AND You
It seems that laxatives, pills designed to ease constipation, and weight loss are going to be forever linked. For a person determined to lose weight, the idea of being able to eat whatever they desire but not absorb much of the fat content is extremely tempting. Yet the use of laxatives is an extremely risky choice to make just to achieve weight loss, and an very odd choice considered the far more suitable methods of weight loss available.
Laxatives have traditionally been used by those with severe eating disorders – such as anorexia or bulimia – to ‘purge’ their system and achieve unhealthily quick levels of weight loss. However, they have become more mainstream as society pursues the quest for the body beautiful. Pressure is seemingly exerted from all sources, demanding perfection, and laxatives seem like a quick and easy method to achieve that.
Well, they might be quick, but is isn’t easy. The most important point to remember is that laxatives do indeed purge the system, but they take everything good away from the body as well. Laxatives cause the loss of essential nutrients and prolonged usage can even lead to nutrient deficiency; a problem that is not easily fixed. Laxatives can also be addictive for both mind and body, and some long term users discover they cannot actually go to the toilet without laxative help.
Laxatives are thus best left for those with a genuine need for them, generally for medical disorders. To lose weight safely, follow a lot fat diets and take plenty of exercise; laxatives are not, and never will be, the answer.
Post Natal Weight Loss
February 10, 2009 by John Neyman
Filed under Weight Loss AND You
A huge amount of women begin to diet following pregnancy. As carrying a child is traditionally associated with weight gain – and is utterly necessary to ensure a healthy pregnancy and child – the problem arises when the child is born. Suddenly, that weight gain that had once been so crucial is suddenly restrictive. Many new mothers make their new goal post-pregnancy to be to lose weight and return to their pre-pregnancy weight.
Most often, doctors and dietary specialists advocate the following principle; nine months on, nine months off. Essentially, as it takes the standard nine month pregnancy term to gain the weight, losing it will take roughly the same amount of time. You will not snap back into your pre-pregnancy body as soon as your child is born; if only nature was so kind!
Losing weight after pregnancy is a little more challenging than losing weight at any other time in a woman’s life. This is mainly due to the time consumed by having a new child, and the associated exhaustion which leaves many women feeling unable to exercise due to a complete lack of energy.
Most post natal nurses advise a target of 2lbs per week, which may sound frighteningly little if you have bloomed during your pregnancy, but is actually a full stone of loss in less than two months. To do this, follow a low fat and high fibre diet, as the fibre will hopefully help keep energy levels high enough to exercise.
The other step is to enjoy the time as a new mom, and enjoy the weight loss possibilities associated with babies. Walking gently while pushing a stroller burns 150 calories an hour, and allows baby bonding time as well as weight loss. This combined with the aforementioned eating plan should have you back to your pre-pregnancy weight before your child’s first birthday.
The Dreaded Weight Loss Plateau
February 10, 2009 by John Neyman
Filed under Weight Loss AND You
During any concerted effort of weight loss, most dieters find that they will reach a plateau at some stage. This is when, after a steady period of weight loss has been going well, you reach a weight in which you don’t seem to be able to lose anymore. Suddenly, despite continuing the exact same good habits established in the first few months, you don’t seem to be able to lose any more weight. At this stage, most commonly, people are a couple of stone from their target weight.
This stage of weight loss is known as a plateau and is a recognised medical part of weight loss. It happens because your body has now had time to adjust to less calories and the sudden change has stopped shocking your metabolism into action. So while frustrating, when you hit the plateau do try and remember it’s actually just your body adapting to the changes it’s been through, and is completely natural. It is also because the lighter you become, the less calories are burned by exercise.
This does not, however, mean it is unbeatable. It simply means you need to tweak your eating or exercise habits a little to combat the plateau. Try decreasing your calorie intake by around 150 calories per day, or do 20 minutes more exercise than you usually would. This should mean you begin to lose weight again, until you reach your goal. Be persistent and keep working at it; the plateau is irritating, but ultimately manageable. Don’t fall into the trap of giving up and wasting all that earlier work – see this as the final push before you reach your dream.
How Portion Sizes Can Help You Lose Weight
February 10, 2009 by John Neyman
Filed under Weight Loss AND You
It has become the way that people use the terms ‘large’ and ‘extra large’ without really thinking. They appear on menus – particularly for takeaway restaurants – and no one really considers what these mean. A large portion to some people may be a medium portion to others; there is no universal standards.
Portion sizes, for those that are trying to lose weight, can be crucial. This is in keeping with that ever present dietary phrase; everything in moderation. There is no harm in having the occasional curry or a plate of chips – in fact, removing this entirely from your diet leads to quicker wagon falling than anything else – but what is important is the size of the portions.
If you cannot resist the Friday night curry or the occasional slice of chocolate cake, don’t worry. Allowing yourself little indulgences is all part of dieting; it helps remove that horrific restricted feeling that causes so many people to abandon their diets only a few weeks in.
Yet you can still remove a lot of the issues associated with treats by just having smaller portions. Look at what you’d usually have and half it; a smaller amount of curry, or a slimmer size of chocolate cake. You still get the indulgence and taste you crave, but you don’t destroy your diet. Employ this trick on a regular, even bi-weekly, basis as just a standard part of your eating plan as well as incorporating full-sized treats every few months. It should really help with motivation, which is arguably the biggest battle when it comes to shedding those excess pounds.
