Weight Loss – Three steps to success – Step one

Losing weight is an American tradition. We’re the most overweight country in the world, and we need to do something about it. It’s unhealthy, unsightly, and very expensive to be overweight. Not trying to be harsh; just speaking the truth. With all the hype and late-night infomercials trying to sell you the latest techno-gadgets for burning fat while you sleep, it’s no wonder people don’t know where to turn or who to trust. The truth is most programs can bring you success. If you’re unsure which weight-loss program to follow, simply choose the one that most suits your lifestyle. But before you invest any money, you will need to understand the three essential steps that must be taken for any weight-loss program to be successful. There is a universal, three-step process that must be followed to lose weight and keep it off for life. No weight loss program in the world will work for you if you do not follow and adhere to these three steps. No matter whom you talk to, where you spend your money, what gym you join, or what personal trainer you hire – they will all fail you unless you decide to apply these three steps to your own life. Do you really want to lose weight? Or do you just want to pretend? Keep reading if you’re serious.The first step is controlling your calorie intake in order to maintain your current weight. This can be accomplished two ways: reduce the number of calories you eat over the course of a day, or increase the number of calories you burn over the course of a day. Optimally, you should be consuming just as many calories as you are burning. This will halt the weight gain and allow you to move on to the second step.Adjusting your caloric intake or increasing your calorie-burn is essential if you want to lose weight. There’s no way you can avoid this step. Unfortunately, the American lifestyle is sedentary by nature. Luxury equates to less labor; at least in our eyes.You cannot gorge yourself every evening at the local buffet and then go home, plop onto the couch, and watch television the rest of the night. If you’re going to stuff yourself with food, you must then burn calories equal to that meal before you stuff yourself again. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t want to run or lift weights, then you shouldn’t be visiting the buffet to begin with. Make sense?The next article in this series discusses the second essential step for permanent weight loss.Copyright 2007, Christian Blake. This article may be freely republished as long as the author's byline and hyperlinks are retained.