Weight Loss Programs: Know These Four Key Elements For Success

Researching weight loss programs? You must understand these four success elements and look for them in any weight loss program you consider.

Personally, I have tried everything from a vegetable soup diet, calorie counting, low fat/low calorie diets to the meat diet. I could not succeed with any of these for the long term and steadily gained weight over the years despite the fact that I would exercise regularly.

Here are the four key elements that you must consider for successful weight loss. Any weight loss program that you consider should contain these key factors.

Understanding What Makes Weight Loss Programs Work

1. Fat is not your enemy, rather your friend.

So many diets, including the FDA food pyramid itself, instruct you to eat low fat foods and healthy fats only.

Healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil are great for you, but there is nothing wrong with a fat juicy steak, or heavy cream in your coffee, or melted butter on your steamed broccoli.

I have personally eaten these foods while losing weight. (And don't worry, I am not suggesting you eat meat and fat only like some very popular diets out there.)

On the flip side, non-dairy creamers, fat-free cool whip and soy burgers are some of the worst things you can put into your body and will pack on the pounds with continued use.

2. Calorie Counting and Low Fat Diets Don't Work

So many people think that a low calorie diet is what is required to lose weight. And if you exercise, then you can afford to eat more calories. And if you increase your metabolism, then you can afford to eat more calories.

This belief is just about the biggest dieting myth that exists.

How much you put into your mouth does not matter as much as what you put into your mouth, and this fact is becoming more and more commonly known even though it speaks against such deep rooted mainstream knowledge.

For example, if you were to eat fats and protein only without any carbohydrates, you could literally eat as much of it as you want, and not gain a single pound. In fact you would lose weight.

It is true that you if lower your calorie intake, you will lose weight. But you will feel like you are starving in the process, and it doesn't have to be that painful. Nor will that type of diet be sustainable for the long term, thus causing you to regain the weight eventually.

3. You Must Increase Your Metabolism

Everyone has a specific Metabolic Type and once you discover yours, you will be able to adapt your eating habits such that your body will naturally burn fat faster.

This doesn't mean stringent meal plans that take hours to plan and follow. This simply means discovering which foods you need to avoid.

You need to learn how to make meals that elevate your energy levels, while keeping your blood sugar consistent.

4. Think Fat Burning, Not Fat Storing

It all comes down to whether your body is in a fat burning or a fat storing mode. Obviously, we want fat burning!

What you put into your mouth directly affects which mode your body will enter. And once in a fat storing mode, anything else you eat will also go directly to stored fat. So you must be careful. But you don't need to starve or deprive yourself!

Certain foods will send glucose rushing into your blood which then triggers an insulin response which puts you directly into a fat storing mode.

And certain foods will produce a hormone called glucagon which causes your body to burn fat, regardless of how much you eat. That means you can overeat without gaining weight. Not bad, eh?

You must understand these four key principals before considering any of the weight loss programs out there.

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