What Makes Diets Work. The Truth About Weight Loss.

Author: Carter James

What makes diets work?

Really; it's very simple. They cause us to burn more calories than we consume. You might think that doesn't sound so simple; but let me explain by offering a few known medical facts about what makes diets work; and how the body responds to dieting.

The "furnace" within us that burns calories is the metabolism.
Keep in mind that the body is programmed to maintain; not to lose. The metabolism adjusts itself based upon what it is accustomed to receiving. If you consistently consume around 2000 calories per day; the metabolism adjusts it self to expect that; even if that results in weight gain. If, in order to lose weight; you reduce your calorie consumption to 1500 calories per day; the metabolism very quickly adjusts itself to that new condition. Essentially; it recognizes that it is not getting what it expects and it actually perceives this new condition as being a threat of starvation. It responds by slowing itself to protect the body from starvation; the end result being that it actually starts trying to conserve calories. So by consuming fewer; your body will burn fewer.

What makes diets work; is knowing how the body will respond to dieting; and choosing a weight loss program that understands the medical and physiological implications of changing the bodys "routine".

Calorie counting diets never take into account how the body will react to the diet; which is why most people who take this approach to weight loss; soon get discouraged and give up.

Other weight loss programs such as Atkins or Nutrisystem; maintain that the primary cause of weight gain is consumption of carbohydrates that are more readily stored by the body as fat rather than being burned as energy. There is a certain measure of validity to these suppositions; but the fact remains that in order to lose weight; you must burn more calories than you consume; and that is a function of the metabolism.

By investigating what makes diets work; we find that we need to choose a program built around the knowledge of how the body will respond; and thus overcome the inevitable metabolic slow down that diets cause.

The most popular; and I think most effective weight loss program available today does just that.

It is based upon a concept known as calorie shifting. This program recognizes that in order to prevent a decrease in the metabolic rate; we cannot let the body settle into a "routine" wherein it comes to expect a set amount of calories daily. This is accomplished by varying the types of foods we eat and when we eat them. Additionally; it requires that we eat four times daily. These techniques keep the metabolism "off balance" and it does not adjust it self to a slower level.

If you would like to learn more about what makes diets work and see the most popular weight loss program available today; then please follow the link below. http://www.TheBodyGood.net

About the author:
Carter James has over twenty-five years of experience in the Health, Fitness and Diet fields with special emphasis on weight loss and strength training. Look for his newest book "TheBodyGood" this fall.