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6 Rules of Weight Loss

Weight loss isn't complicated; it's just hard. If it was easy to lose weight, then we'd eat whatever we wanted and then make changes and lose weight without a worry.

The truth, however, is something completely different. Losing weight is very hard and made more difficult depending on how long you've been out of shape or how far you have to go. Someone who needs to lose a couple of pounds to fit in a tuxedo has a different road to walk than someone who is obese and has developed poor habits over a lifetime.

Thankfully, losing weight is possible for anyone. All you have to do is understand the rules of weight loss and how to follow them most effectively. Unfortunately, when you stray from the rules, losing weight becomes much more challenging.

Here are the six rules of weight loss to get you started on your weight loss journey.

Rule 1 - Calories In & Calories Out

As a general rule, you can't escape the calorie balance required to lose weight. There is, essentially, no way to lose weight naturally unless you're eating fewer calories than you burn. So, you can either eat fewer calories or burn more. Either way, you'll lose weight. Each pound of weight is equal to 3500 calories. So, if you want to lose a pound a week, then you need to find a way to eliminate that many calories.

Rule 2 - Tracking Your Calories Is Very Effective

If you want to lose weight, there is typically no better way than to track how many calories you eat. Just tracking calories tends to get people to eat fewer calories. In addition, when you understand the implications of what you're eating, you're more likely to make better decisions when it comes to your diet.

These days, it's very easy to track your calories. You can download a number of free mobile apps, all with massive libraries of grocery stores and restaurant foods, to give you accurate calorie counts.

Rule 3 - Lifestyle Matters

Do you work at a desk all day? Has it been a while since you exercised regularly? Unfortunately, one of the downsides of modern convenience is that we move less than we did generations ago. Now, people can order everything and make a living typing on a keyboard.

To burn more calories, you must consciously live a more active lifestyle. Walking every day, taking the stairs, joining a gym class takes work and discipline, etc. But doing these things helps you lose weight.

Rule 4 - Avoiding Stress

Stress is a big factor in weight loss because it triggers bouts of emotional eating and can impair your body's ability to process foods and glucose. When you are stressed, you are more likely to make poor decisions about food and skip workouts.

Rule 5 - Small Changes Work Better

Sure, there are a ton of success stories about how someone lost 100 pounds in six months. For the most part, though, short-term diets fail. You increase your odds of long-term success by making small, incremental changes to your diet and exercise routine. For example, you can slowly cut down on how much you eat each meal vs. skipping the meal entirely. This way, you're retraining your body on what's an appropriate amount of food to eat.

Rule 6 - Address Any Underlying Concerns

Sometimes, there's more at work than simply overeating. Things like hormonal imbalances and other medical issues can cause rapid weight gain. For instance, people who take steroids to treat illnesses or allergies often experience faster weight gain.

Seeing a doctor and consulting a nutritionist can help make sure you and your body are ready to lose weight. Something else needs to be sorted out before you can start seeing meaningful weight loss.

Peptides & Weight Loss

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that are derivatives of natural proteins. These peptides are created to trigger a specific response in the body, and many of them have been found to deliver some health benefits. Modern research into peptides is changing the approach to weight loss and managing appetites. For example, the peptide Fragment 176-191 has been shown in tests on rats to significantly reduce the weight of obese mice, while mice in the normal weight range maintained their body weight.

Note: Peptides should only be used as prescribed by a doctor. They are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for over-the-counter self-treatment and should not be purchased as dietary supplements.

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