Losing weight is hard, but choosing a weight loss program is harder.
There are too many choices on the internet and it’s hard to tell which are legitimate. Some make claims about fast weight loss, others teach that cutting out a specific food will change your life. Almost every one of them has some big secret you have to pay to discover.
In this article, we’re giving you our secrets to picking weight loss solutions free of charge. Though we’re fans of our own program, there’s a personalized solution for everyone.
Learn our secrets to assessing weight loss solutions below.
Avoid Magic Bullet Weight Loss Solutions
If a weight loss program or product seems too good to be true, it probably is. Lightening fast weight loss solutions can be dangerous and most of them don’t work. These sites and products will help you lose water weight, which is gained back the minute you eat or drink.
On a biological level, weight loss can only happen so fast. More people who are moderately overweight, a good goal to aim for is 2 pounds a week. The scientists who came up with that number found that losing much more than that isn’t sustainable.
When you lose large amounts of weight quickly you’re more likely to gain it back.
Look for Programs With Measurable Results
Pound loss is great, but there is more to weight loss than what the scale says. Your goal should be to lose fat, which weighs more than muscle. Losing muscle mass makes you look flabby and doesn’t necessarily have weight loss benefits.
In fact, losing fat and gaining muscle should be your goal. Every pound of muscle you gain raises your BMR and lets you eat about 150 more calories a day. While it seems counter-intuitive to gain pounds when trying to lose weight, it can be a big help to your overall appearance and health.
To test if you’re losing fat instead of muscle, you’ll need to measure more things than weight. Look at the results section of their website.
What are they testing? If there’s an in-person meeting, do they calculate your BMR/BMI? What about eight point measurements?
The more information they help you track, the more legitimate their weight loss solutions are.
Find a Program with a Community
Sticking to your weight loss goals is hard and no one gets that like the people going through it. Quality weight loss solutions will have a community of other users and experts. When you’re having issues with the program, you can commiserate with the community.
The experts answer questions or concerns you have as they arise. Ideally, these would be small local groups, but that’s not always possible online.
You’ll also get a more reasonable idea of weight loss results from experienced users. You can ask them questions about their journey and adjust your expectations. If you feel comfortable, you can post your own progress pictures in the forum to rejoice with others.
Don’t Under Eat
There is a certain number of calories each person’s body needs to function per day. This number is called the basal metabolic rate. Unless advised and supervised, you shouldn’t go under it. For example, a 140lb. woman who is 5’8 has a BMR of 1400 calories a day.
That woman should reject any weight loss solutions that have her eating less than that a day. Eating less than your BMI isn’t healthy and can cause issues with biological functions.
Some of those calories should come from protein. Eating enough protein allows you to keep your muscle while losing fat. Not eating enough protein will cause your body to digest muscle, not fatty tissue.
There are calculators online to help calculate your BMI, but an expert can do it better in-person.
Use a Program that Encourages Exercise
Any weight loss program should encourage a reasonable amount of exercise. Exercising during weight loss is a great way to make sure you gain muscle and lose fat. Plus, exercising has innumerable benefits on your body and general health.
However, there is such thing as too much. Even the most dedicated athletes take a rest day (or two).
Avoid programs that recommend intensive activity multiple days a week. A doctor-approved exercise routine should vary in intensity and length per session.
Also be wary if the exercises provided don’t come with modifications. If you’re new to exercise and engage in the program, you need to ease in. It’s ridiculous to expect someone who never does more than a power walk to do a minute of burpees.
If there are exercise videos, they should show modifications for different levels. Make sure you warm up and cool down appropriately during workout sessions.
Don’t Over Commit
Weight loss solutions that have you do extreme overnight lifestyle changes are hard to stick to. Your body gets used to things and it’s hard to do a sharp 180. This is a good rule for diet plans as well as exercise.
If a diet involves cutting out a food group, ask ahead and start avoiding it beforehand. This way when it’s day one, you’ll have less of a detox headache and a head start on the process.
For programs with an exercise component, they should encourage you to ease in. It’s dangerous for your heart, muscles, and joints to go from sedentary to extreme exercise in one day.
Doctors on Board
Most high-budget weight loss solutions have some type of doctor on board. The problem is, not all of those doctors are legitimate or they specialize in a very different field. If they advertise that their program is doctor-approved, check their credentials.
They should have a specialization relevant to the weight loss field.
Final Considerations
Looking at weight solutions can feel overwhelming, there are so many options. The most important thing (along with those above) is to pick a program you know you can stick to. If you can’t live without fats, don’t pick a fat-free program. You want to set yourself up for success, not failure.
Though we’re biased, we think our program meets and exceeds the criteria above. See what it’s done for our past clients and see if it’s the right fit for you today.