Simple Truth: The number of calories you consume on a daily basis determines whether you gain weight or whether you lose weight.  Whoa…that is simple…yet, this is one of the most important and least understood aspects of any lose weight program. 

Studies have shown that overweight people believe they are eating no more food than other people they associate with who are considerably slimmer than they are.

The overweight people are under the impression that the reason they are heavier and gaining weight is due to their body's metabolism. You've heard that yourself and probably even believe it, right? Well….that is a false impression.

When keeping a record of their food consumption over a specified period of time, it was proven that they were actually consuming more calories than the slimmer people. Their heavier weight had nothing to do with their metabolism, but rather with their choice of food and the quantities they were eating.

So…while that may be a tough reality for some of us, the really great part is that you only need to reduce your calorie intake by 100 calories per day to see a substantial effect on your weight over the period of a year. And this is quite easy to do with all the healthy diet plans out there now.

It is a very manageable goal for almost everybody, as it isn't too difficult to cut back by 100 calories per day. However, many of the weight loss plans are recommending considerably more reduction in calories, making it very difficult to maintain, and as a result of this many people are failing to achieve their weight loss goals.

Now, when you combine the fact that you only need to reduce calories by that little, with additional supplementation of vitamins and minerals that can help your overall health, you can see how with the best weight loss plans it's easy to stay nutritionally balanced throughout the whole weight loss process and not feel as though you are starving yourself.

For many people, just knowing that the hurdle is so small is enough to ensure that they can start and maintain a good, healthy weight loss program.
 

Winter weight gain is a recurring problem for many people, particularly as we get older. I’m sure you are familiar with the theory that we are genetically predisposed to store more fat as winter approaches.  Extra layers of fat on the body were probably vital to survival for our ancestors, both to protect against the cold, then to be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food was scarce.  It was probably wise to eat more after harvest time in the fall, when food was plentiful. 

Yet even today, long after we have moved out of rough fur clothing and caves, we seem to add a few pounds every winter, then we don’t lose them all in the summer – a few of those unwanted pounds always stick around. They seem to be very hard to lose, thus making us a little heavier every year.  Why does this continue to happen?

 Do you want to hear MY theory?  Winter weight gain is now not so much the result of a necessity to eat more as it is a result of our tradition to eat more this time of year.  In many parts of the world fall brings cooler weather and some of our favorite holidays – food and drink oriented holidays – both of which trigger an urge in us to eat more and exercise less.   These triggers are as strong for us as gorging before hibernation is to a bear!
 
On top of that, the shorter days and lack of daylight during late fall and winter can bring on seasonally affected disorder(SAD) or winter depression.  People who feel low in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is hard to break.
 
High carbohydrate foods boost our energy levels and emotions, so we crave foods high is sugar that also contain high levels of fats – all those handy holiday cookies, pies, chocolate and other treats which face us at every turn in the winter.  So there are many reasons why we eat more, especially high carbohydrate foods, at this time of year.

But what can you do about it?  The two best ways to prevent winter weight gain are:  1)substitute other foods that are high in carbohydrate, so you get what your body craves, but which are low in fat content and have plenty of fiber, and 2)watch your portions.  Have smaller, more frequent mini-meals that include potatoes, whole-grain bread, whole-grain rice, cereals, steamed vegetables, and fresh whole fruit.  Don’t completely deprive yourself of the holiday goodies…have just a small piece of rich dark chocolate, a tiny serving of pie, and a cookie here and there…just enough to satisfy your cravings.

It is natural when it is cold outside for our physical activity level to drop, but it is important to exercise.  Sign up with a gym or get a stationary bicycle or treadmill for the den. Transform those carbs into energy now instead of keeping it on the waistline until spring. Winter weight gain can be avoided, and the pounds don’t have to add up!

The word “diet” has taken on a negative meaning, but think about it – don’t we all maintain a diet every day?  The common dictionary definition of diet is “food and drink regularly provided and consumed”.  Since no one wants to, nor should, give up this understandably popular habit, we need to give up the negative viewpoint instead.  

Stop thinking of a diet as punishment and deprivation and think of it as rewarding your body in a positive – and necessary – way with healthy, delicious choices.  Most of us believe that the best way to lose weight is by setting ourselves up to fail because most weight loss diets are designed to work only in the short-term for impossibly perfect nibblers.  This is not going to work for us!  We need real food.  So we start out unhappy, usually have trouble sticking to the prescribed routine, then this makes us eat even more when the diet is over and we are again free to choose our old unhealthy favorites.  

So actually the best way to lose weight is to begin eating a healthy diet (most of us don’t), and make permanent changes to your daily routine that will improve your overall fitness level.  Over time, combining healthy eating habits with building muscle  will raise your body’s metabolism so you burn more calories.  A healthy diet, fewer calories and more exercise equal weight loss.  Surprise!

You can increase your body’s metabolism simply by increasing physical activity and by eating smaller meals throughout the day.  This will probably require a lifestyle adjustment for all of us, some a small adjustment and others a major overhaul, but this can be done long-term by starting gradually to live a healthier lifestyle. 

Making these changes does not have to be hard.  For example, sneaking in a bit of exercise, even with today’s busy schedules, can easily be worked into your daily routine.   Simply take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, or park in the remote spot at the far end of the parking lot, then walk briskly to your destination to get your heart pumping a few times per day.  

 Take short breaks throughout your day to take a stroll around your office building (even the sternest boss must allow you a break at least twice each day) or stroll around the block if you’re at home.   These small steps to burn a few extra calories will improve the results of your exercise program, and ultimately, as your metabolism increases, you will be burning fat while you’re not even working out.

Eat smaller meals.  After all, wouldn’t you be thrilled to eat six times a day instead of only three??  Heaven!!  Making them nutritious, delicious and filling makes them enjoyable and healthy.   By feeding your body smaller meals to process more frequently throughout the day, you keep the digestive system active, helping to burn excess calories.  When your body senses that it has consumed more calories than it is burning, it will begin to convert those excess calories to fat.  Eating the standard American three square meals per day…increasingly large ones at that…actually puts your body into a feast-famine cycle causing your metabolism to increase then slow back down several times a day.   It is better instead to keep it running continuously and evenly throughout the day.

But remember – these small “meals” cannot be full meals, but rather more like healthy and fulfilling snacks.  There are many healthy snacks, now packaged in convenient servings of 100 calories each, which you should keep on hand, which can be a part of these small meals.  It doesn’t have to be complicated either.   Simply dividing your existing three-meal-a-day portions into several meals is a good way to keep eating a steady flow of calories throughout the day. .

And finally, don’t make the mistake of thinking that living an overall healthier lifestyle means hardship and deprivation.   No foods that you love need to be “forbidden”; allow yourself to add in some of those foods in moderation.  Since you are not on an extreme crash diet, but are merely changing your eating habits to a more healthy diet, there is nothing that is completely off-limits.  Premium dark chocolate is even a healthy choice now, so treat yourself occasionally for making healthy choices.   Choosing a healthy diet and allowing yourself some leeway to enjoy your favorite foods is the best way to lose weight and keep it off long term.