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The
5 Deadly Sins To Avoid When Beginning A Fitness & Nutrition Program
Written
by Tim Chudy
In the health and fitness industry today we are bombarded by pills,
potions, exercise machines, DVDs and the new magical way to lose
weight, tone the body, and get the results we want. Sadly, most
of these promises are just empty claims from big companies trying
to increase profits. With most ‘solutions’ not working people become
desperate to get the weight off. And the big companies and chains
are capitalizing off of your desperation and they’re leading you
in the wrong direction. Your first step should be to STOP the nonsense.
Stop the fad diets. Stop the pills and potions. Stop all of the
hype! You must realize that permanent weight loss must be achieved
through diet and exercise.
So here are 5 deadly sins to avoid when starting your program:
1.Weight loss without exercising. You must exercise in order to
boost your metabolism and in turn lose body fat. This of course
must be combined with proper nutrition. If one restricts their eating
but does not change any of their habits you will not be in control
of what your body can accomplish and maintain.
2.Fasting. This is a big red flag and a sign that the program does
not have any validity to it. This does not have anything to do with
cleansing, which is a whole other subject. But fasting to lose weight
slows the metabolism down to a crawl and will ultimately lead to
binging and gaining more weight.
3.Improper
food plans. An effective and healthy meal plan will consist of proper
amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. A plan or diet restricting
one or more of these can be dangerous. We all know the Atkins diet.
And it may have worked for you. But the question remains, did it
last? I have never heard of someone that has experienced permanent
weight loss with Atkins.
4.Failure to measure and track body fat percentage. Realistic weight
loss plans will suggest losing 1-2 pounds per week. Most plans don’t
distinguish between overall body weight and body fat. A good plan
will help you build muscle, or lean tissue. This type of tissue
is more metabolically active and burns more calories, however, does
weigh more. Although overall weight is important, losing body fat
weight is what the real goal should be.
5.Relying on supplements only. This can be a dangerous way to lose
weight. Relying on pills or shakes to achieve healthy weight loss
is not safe and ultimately not effective. Supplements do have there
role in healthy nutrition and I do recommend them. But to only be
drinking shakes or taking pills morning, day and night is not safe
and will not be a permanent solution.
A good, healthy fitness and nutrition plan will help you achieve
the goals you want while making the results permanent. This may
take time. There is no magic pill. Ask yourself how long it took
you to put the weight on. Be realistic and put your mind to it.
You can have a better body in as little as 90 days and feel better
than ever!
Tim Chudy, St. Louis' Top Fitness Expert, speaks and writes on
a variety of health and fitness topics. He is owner of Fitness Together,
two private personal training studios in Ladue and Des Peres, MO.
You can contact him by emailing him at timchudy@fitnesstogether.com
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