Stop Dieting Now
4 Essential Rules for
Weight Loss
Did you know that
dieting can actually
contribute to your weight
problems?
What's Wrong with Dieting?
As people diet, they focus more on cutting calories and carbohydrates, rather
than on the important needs of their body. In other words, as you diet you can
starve the body. The body then responds
by slowing its metabolism, and now the body isn't getting what it needs and it
isn't burning calories very efficiently.
To make matters worse, the body can actually add layers of fat as it tries to
fight the sensation of starvation. It's no wonder that 70 percent of people who
diet eventually end up heavier than they were before the diet.
What's the Alternative?
Self-help expert Paul McKenna offers an alternative to dieting. In his show—I
Can Make You Thin on TLC—he focuses on addressing mental hurtles, rather
than counting calories. The idea is that weight loss will naturally follow a
healthier mental state.
When it comes to eating habits, McKenna offers four rules:
1. When you're hungry, eat. Hunger is different than a craving. Real
hunger builds over time and sends a physical signal. That doesn't mean that you
should wait until you're starving. But you also shouldn't eat every time you
get a craving or feel bored.
2. Eat what your body wants. Our bodies have an incredible ability to
let us know what they need in terms of vitamins, minerals, protein, and so on.
Listen to your body, instead of those flash cravings when you see an
advertisement.
3. Eat consciously. Chew slowly and enjoy every mouthful. When you do,
you'll notice that you eat slower, eat less, and eat more variety.
4. Stop eating when you're full. As soon as you think you're full, then
stop eating, and wait a few minutes. If you actually feel hungry again after
five minutes, eat a little more. But more often than not, you'll probably
discover that you're not hungry after those few minutes.
McKenna's overall advice presents a healthier attitude to food that just may
lead to a healthier you.