Detox Water Is Good But Not a Magic Bullet

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Science has shown that your body responds in surprising ways when you lose weight. Fortunately, there are a variety of modalities for losing weight but long-term control mostly depends upon healthy eating and exercise.

A sensible first step in improving your daily diet is to replace processed foods that contain added sugar and unhealthy fats. Real foods can make a positive difference in your waistline and your health that a truly sustainable.

Carbohydrates get a bad name in most weight loss circles, but unrefined complex carbs from fresh produce and whole grains are a healthy component of a balanced diet. So, cut back on the sugar and starches that cause blood sugar spikes.

Tips to Avoid the Tug-of-War of Weight Control

Weight management is a constant tug-of-war as your body burns stored fat and simultaneously slow the metabolism to regain the lost weight. Check out the tips below for a more sustainable approach:

1) Ditch Processed Foods – Instead of relying on a second cup of coffee, ditch the processed foods you’ve been eating and enjoy the benefit of natural increases in energy that comes with eating more whole foods, like fresh vegetables and leafy greens.

2) Consider Intermittent Fasting – One of the main reasons intermittent fasting works is that only eating a specified intervals eliminates any uncounted calories you may have been consuming for snacks or beverages.

3) Drink Healthy Liquids – Detox water with ingredients like apple cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, cucumbers, and lemon claim to remove toxins, balance your body’s pH, and help with weight loss. Although a great alternative to sugary drinks, detox water isn’t a magic bullet.

4) Control Your Food Environment – Studies show that skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight and may set you up for overeating later in the day. Your goal for healthy weight loss should be to eat regular meals with plenty of vegetables and substitute water for sugary drinks.

How you lose weight differs from how you gain muscle. So, when it comes to reducing fat stores and retaining muscle mass, you will need a science-based approach and a double-dose of discipline. Make the science work for you and not against you.

Online Plans May Not Be Based on Weight Loss Science

While exercise alone may not be as important for losing weight as calorie restriction, routine exercise is important to your health and is very important in helping to repair a faulty metabolism to restore hormonal balance. It is important that you understand most online diets are aimed at the lay public and very few are written by a licensed healthcare professional, so you cannot assume that they are based on sound scientific principles of nutrition.

Although some suggest a low-fat diet may be useful for altering your metabolism for a more effective approach to permanent weight loss, the mechanisms for losing weight on a restricted diet is not clear and the weight lost may be due to total energy intake. Science suggests relatively few people who lose large amounts of weight are able to sustain the weight loss once they resume normal eating. Truth is, over the long haul, effective weight management will depend on personalized menus and a good support system.