Eating the Right Food Can Vary from Person to Person

Americans have never been heavier and fewer people than ever are doing what it takes to lose weight and keep off. Understanding how a given diet works for a given individual (personalization) is the holy grail of permanent weight loss. The search for effective weight loss programs has been going on for centuries and the desire to lose weight has been a constant. In his best seller The Art of Living Long, Lord Byron published the first celebrity diet of flattened potatoes soaked in vinegar to maintain his pale, thin, unhealthy look.

Try making neutral observations about the following culprits:

• FOOD FADS & CRASH DIETS - Diets based on the latest food fad may help you drop a few pounds relatively quickly, but sensible eating is a better way to shed pounds and keep the weight off.
• HUNGER SWITCH GOT STUCK - Your body produces a hunger hormone called leptin, which controls whether or not you feel full after eating. With normal leptin function, you shouldn't feel hunger until it is time for the next meal.
• DRASTIC REDUCTION IN CALORIES - People often assume they are not losing weight because they are eating too much. Although this may be true in some cases, drastically reducing intake can also put your body into survival mode.
• POOR SLEEP HABITS - Although poor sleep is not the only factor in gaining weight, the evidence is overwhelming that when sleep goes down, weight usually goes up. According to a University of Colorado study, one week of sleeping five hours or less led to an average weight gain of two pounds.
• MENUS NOT SUSTAINABLE - The most important aspect of making a positive lifestyle change is the sustainability. Instead of counting calories, determine your body's unique needs and focus on eating healthy to fuel your body.
• COMPETITIVE SABOTEURS - If you are succeeding in meeting your weight loss goals, some co-workers and friends may act competitively as you are making them look less successful. Although it is not your job to make them feel better about themselves, you might want to convert them to join forces as diet supporters.

Dieting is hard and it can be easy to underestimate the challenges you face to make changes in your life. Nonetheless, once you've trained your body to make do with less calories, chances are you will gain even more weight back if you resume a regular caloric intake. Unfortunately, the body can continue to store fats the same as in times of food shortage.

No One-Size-Fits-All Diet Plans at Metabolic Research Center

Effective weight loss is about so much more than a number on a scale. A common characteristic of people who overcome difficult situations is their ability to accurately estimate the task at hand. At the Metabolic Research Center, our weight loss professionals are dedicated to helping you reach your goals for a longer, healthier life with personalized weight loss solutions. The process of eating the right food and living a healthy lifestyle differs from one person to the next. That's why there is no one-size-fits-all diet. It’s also why fad diets are doomed to failure.

If you've tried dieting with no luck, contact Metabolic Research Center for a free weight loss consultation.