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Diet and Exercise – Two Ways to Lose Weight Efficiently

Dieting is a word that has become very popular in the 21st century. Due to the high demand for slim and lean physiques, being overweight is now being put in a bad light and is considered unacceptable. Being overweight does not only make one look bad, it also makes a person prone to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and others.

Dieting first became popular during the 1980’s when the aerobics era was popularized by Jane Fonda, the so-called aerobics queen of the 80’s. People want to lose weight for fear of being treated as outcasts by society and the best way to do it is through dieting. Unfortunately, most people go for crash diets which is not advisable. Crash diets may help a person lose weight quickly but the weight is also regained almost right away since people who go on these types of diets go back to their old, unhealthy habits of overeating once they felt they have lost the weight they needed to get rid of. It then become a vicious cycle and pretty soon that person will end up miserable, frustrated and still overweight.

The most popular diets found on the internet are the Atkins Diet, Grapefruit Diet, and Low Carb diets. All these diet programs promise to get rid of the excess weight and keep them off. The one thing they all failed to mention is that once you stop following their diet programs, you will regain the weight that was lost and sometimes even more.

The key to losing weight and keeping them off is a balance of healthy food intake and regular exercise. Eating healthy food not only makes skin look good but it also improves the person’s metabolic rate. Not eating anything slows down the body’s metabolism thus the toxins are not eliminated from the body and keeps building up until the person gets sick. During crash dieting, since no food is being digested by the body, the body’s metabolism slows down and the body weakens because the body doesn’t know where to get its source of energy.

Another thing that might not be such a good idea while dieting is not eating carbohydrates. One has to keep in mind that carbohydrates are the body’s fuel and it is converted into energy. If no carbohydrates are taken in, the body becomes weak and other body functions slow down as well. Some people become hypoglycemic because the body’s sugar level is low.

Eating everything in moderation is better than not eating a certain food group for fear that the pounds won’t disappear. A well-balanced meal is very important because it keeps the body functioning properly and all the nutrients needed by the body are provided by the different food groups.

Regular exercise, no matter how old a person is, is very important. It tones the muscles, strengthens the body and gets rid of the toxins in the body. The exercise doesn’t have to be very difficult. A simple walk in the park twice or thrice a week is alright for starters. Once your energy level goes up, you can start walking four to five times a week until your body gets used to the idea of exercising. In doing this regularly, not only is the person going to lose weight but it will also make the person healthier and more active. Remember, diet plus exercise equals success.