Metabolism plays a major role in weight loss.
Physical activity — such as playing tennis, walking to the store, chasing after the dog and any other movement — accounts for the remainder of calories used. It may seem logical to think that significant weight gain or being overweight is related to a low metabolism or possibly even a condition such as under-active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). In reality, it’s very uncommon for excess weight to be related to a low metabolism. And most people who are overweight don’t have an underlying condition, such as hypothyroidism. However, a medical evaluation can determine whether a medical condition could be influencing your weight.
Weight gain is more likely due to an energy imbalance— consuming more calories than your body burns. To lose weight, then, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories, increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity, or preferably both. If you and everyone else were physically and functionally identical, it would be easy to determine the standard energy needs. But many factors influence calorie requirements, including body size and composition, age, and sex. To function properly, a bigger body mass requires more energy (more calories) than does a smaller body mass. Also, muscle burns more calories than fat does. So the more muscle you have in relation to fat, the higher your basal metabolic rate. As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight.
Metabolism also slows naturally with age. Together these changes reduce your calorie needs. Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women. This is why men generally have a higher basal metabolic rate and burn more calories than women do. Your ability to change your basal metabolism is limited. However, you can increase daily exercise and activity to build muscle tissue and burn more calories. Your metabolism influences your energy needs, but it’s your food intake and physical activity that ultimately determine your weight. Your metabolism influences your energy needs, but it’s your food intake and physical activity that ultimately determine your weight.
Losing weight, like any task you undertake, requires that you have dedication and motivation to succeed. This means you need to get your head in the right place.
Believe it or not, there is a psychological factor that comes into play when you’re trying to lose weight. Look at your weight loss as your own personal sporting event. Just as you need to know the rules of the game as well as the basics of performing that game in sports, you also need the right information in your diet to make it effective. When you have all the tools you need, you can becomean excellent performer in almost anything you try in life.
One of these tools is the right frame of mind. The right frame of mind will give you motivation, commitment, and the skills you need to overcome the obstacles that you might face along with temptations and distractions. It has been proven that when you have the right frame of mind during your weight loss journey, you will make your weight loss fun, easier, more exciting, and be able to develop changes towards a healthier lifestyle that will stay with you forever. Your mindset controls your behavior, actions, and thoughts. As people grow, they develop habits and associations that govern their life. Most of these habits are controlled by our sub-conscious and we are generally unaware of them. However, your subconscious could also sabotage your efforts – also while you unaware of them. This can be detrimental to your weight loss attempts. The right mindset entails using various techniques and strategies to control your behavior by monitoring your thoughts and actions. When you obtain this mindset, you will be better equipped to replace the old habits and associations that formed your thinking in the first place withnew and more positive habits that will enable you to lost weight and be happier while you do so!
Developing the correct mindset doesn’t occur overnight, it takes determination and time.
1. Write down your goals. Write down about your weight, what weight you want to lose. You may also want to write down about other goals in your life. Be specific about what those goals are. When you generalize your goals, you are trivializing them. Your goals are important. Make them important!
2. Assign yourself a deadline. You want to lose weight. Make those goals measurable and achievable. Don’t think TOO big or try to undertake more than what you are capable of. If you need to lose 100 pounds, don’t expect to do it in a few weeks. Give yourself enough time to do so in a healthy manner. You could also try to break the goals down into easier increments. Tell yourself that you will lose 10 pounds over the next month. Then tell yourself the same thing the next month. Eventually, you’ll reach that goal and feel the satisfaction of being lighter than you were before.
3. Focus on those goals everyday. Post them on your refrigerator. Write them in your date book. Put a reminder on the visor of your car. When you focus on your goals, you will keep them in mind all the time and when they are first and foremost in your mind, you willbe well on the way toward achieving them.
4. Be committed to those goals – at all costs. There’s a reason why you want to achieve those goals. When you are committed, those goals become the focus of your mind and they will be much easier to realize.
If you take things one step at a time, there are basic steps that can be adopted. Stop telling yourself, “I just can’t do it.” You can coax yourself into a new habit of healthy eating. Developing a psychology towards weight loss will help you achieve you goals and realize success. Aim high, push hard. Remember that you are worth the effort!
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