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Shed those last 10 pounds in just 7 days? Be bikini ready by July 1st? (found in an article published in May)
Drink this delicious drink 3 times a day and lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days? SOUND FAMILIAR?
These are just some of the slogans we are bombarded with everyday! Companies pray on those who want and need to lose weight with false promises of fast weight loss. In addition to fad diets we are pelted with advertisements for pills that promise to give us rapid results and shed that unwanted weight. The fad diets are nothing new, they have been around since the dawn of time, and we know that they don't work in the long term and they are by no means quick. My concern is with the new obsession with diet pills and the false pretense that they work and you don't have to change your lifestyle. Read the fine print!!!
You open a magazine and you see a woman or a man standing in a bikini or shorts claiming that life before was horrible because they had extra weight and now thanks to a super pill, they have shed the weight and life is grand. But take a close look under the picture you will see, Results not typical? So and so followed a strict diet and fitness plan. Well no kidding!!!! I have been saying it for years. Anyone can lose weight when they eat properly and get exercise. Results not typical? sure they aren't those people were most likely paid for their time and efforts and worked with nutritionists and personal trainers around the clock. You too could have those results if that is all you did with your time. Let me save you the money you may spend on those pills, you will STILL have to eat properly and get plenty of exercise and drink lots of water to see results. Otherwise you are wasting your money. However, by taking those pills you have to give up coffee (since most contain stimulants), you will have the jitters, and you may lose sleep because of these stimulants. Some people sweat badly or have hot flashes, and it effects your metabolism. NOT healthy by any stretch. What I am trying to say here is you don't need the pills to lose the weight, just eat properly and exercise and it will come off anyway. No pill required.
Now don't get me wrong, supplements have their place, however, let the elite athletes worry about them. The average person needs nothing more than a balanced diet filled with lots of green veggies and a multi vitamin (maybe). Drink lots of water (at least 2 liters a day ) and if you are working out a lot, a good protein supplement (if you wish). Nothing more.
I know it's tempting to see an ad promising quick results and all you have to do is swallow a pill 6 times a day. However, take it from me, there is no quick fix. Sure you may lose a couple pounds of water weight but the only thing substantially lighter will be your bank account. There is no easy solution to weight loss. You have to really look yourself in the eye and say: I got myself here, and I'll get myself out of here with a lifestyle change!
Let me give you some free advice from a Personal Trainer and Nutrition coach. If you want effective weight loss (not fast, but effective). Follow Canada's Food Guide, drink lots of water, and get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity 3 times per week and you will be well on your way. The average healthy weight loss is 2 pounds per week, so keep that in mind. A friend has told me: Weight loss is not a race, it's a marathon and I have totally adopted that slogan, it makes sense. We didn't gain weight overnight and we aren't going to lose it overnight either.
If you need support & help in YOUR marathon call to book an appointment with a Healthy Living Coach, maybe even join one of the many Bootcamps going on in Fredericton and Oromocto. Before you know it, you'll be a leaner, lighter, and healthier you. Now that is a guarantee.
Trudi Price
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