What Does it Take to Lose Weight?

I titled this blog "What Does it Take to Lose Weight" because that seems to be on the mind of every American that considers themselves overweight of out of shape. It seems like an epidemic. Constantly there are new diets, food products and supplements that fill our store shelves. They come in all sizes and shapes but the vast number of products and ways to "lose weight" has overwhelmed us.

Laughter burns calories

You know what I'm talking about if you have seriously looked at this yourself. The real problem is not finding some way to lose weight but finding the right way to lose weight. There is also the question of "What is the right way for me to lose weight?". Not all diets are the same and not all diets are going to produce the results you may think they will. Our bodies differ in construction and the ways we process food intake. It is a real challenge to find what will work for you. There are some real simple ways to do that and it works like magic.

I am in Africa right now and I wonder if it is the climate, the elevation or just the types of food I eat when I am here that changes my weight gain and digestive processes. What ever it is, it is definitely a switch from the American diet I eat there. I just seem to lose weight and feel so much better.

Today I ate bacon and scrambled eggs with a slice of toast for breakfast and lentils and rice for lunch. It is enough for me to eat as I am not feeling hungry between meals and not feeling stuffed after eating. I have no idea what I weigh because I haven't been on a scale for over a month but, I know I have not gained weight and most likely lost some weight. I know this by the size of my intestinal bulge. When I feel bloated and heavy I am uncomfortable and the intestinal bulge is apparent. When I am maintaining or losing weight the bulge subsides and flattens. I am able to bend straight over without any discomfort. Those have been my indicators for weight loss here. Eat lots of veggies. They are good for you!

Other indicators are the number of notches on my belt I have to move up to,  for keeping my trousers on. My jeans are probably a couple sizes too large for me right now. I bought them a little large so as to have room for bulge but the bulge is not there and my pants are literally falling off if I don't wear a belt. Currently I am on the fourth notch with one to go before I run out of fasten-able belt acreage. I would guesstimate I am about a 36 waist right now, maybe smaller.

I can also tell there is weight gain because of how much I can see of my feet. If the bulge is large I cannot see my feet. If not, I can see most of my feet. I can see all of my feet right now. I also have some smaller dress trousers I brought with me that I can fit into comfortably and I know they are a 38 waist. There is room for me to stuff my hand in the waistband without squeezing it in. Plus the way my shirts hang on me. If there is weight gain there is a distinct overlapping of the fabric and if not, it hangs freely without bunching up.

So, what does it take to lose weight?

My conclusion is you don't have to move to Africa but, if you are going to travel, that might be an assistance to the cause. I feel it is much more in the area of what you eat and how much you eat. It usually comes down to that anyway. Certain environments are just a better place to lose weight. Work environment, nighttime environment, activity levels, metal attitudes and so many other things have a way of contributing to the gain or loss of your body weight. Finding the right mix of exercise and diet are always the major factors for health and fitness.

I'm sorry if this blog has disappointed you with not giving you a magic solution for weight loss but I don't want you illusioned in your thinking there is another way. There really is no other way but to control your weight but to curb urges to eat when you should not eat and choosing to eat healthy foods that will keep you fit. That, coupled with enough exercise to burn more calories than you consume will cause weight loss. The only exceptions to that is medical conditions that do not fit into the normal persons physical makeup. If that is the case then your doctor can prescribe a diet and fitness plan that should help. It may even be that certain drugs may be required to control other physical ailments in conjunction with the inability to lose weight.

The swing that Zach built

Stay away from the fad diets and fast weight loss programs. They are killers of your physical and mental well being. I don't recommend drugs and chemicals. I recommend herbs for dietary supplements and a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and regulated protein intake along with a good exercise program and the proper amount of water each day. Stay active. Eat sensibly. Drink plenty of water. Get a good nights rest. You will feel healthier and in most cases lose weight.



Remember that you must burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. That is the magic potion of weight loss.