Take my case for example. For years I have been a devout follower of moderate carbohydrate, low fat and moderate protein diet. Just to try something a little different I decided to try high protein approach. I have read about it for years, it seemed logical to me scientifically for most part, but it didn't work! For most part I felt a lot hungrier than I usually did while restricting calories. And that definitely wasn't good for me. To compensate, I took a week off and ate moderate amounts of food to satisfy what I felt had been deprivation, and then I went back to my old approach and it works fine.

Does it still seem logical to me? Sure. Do I still believe that others have lost weight on that approach? You bet! Could I explain why I felt way I did? Partly. Even if my feelings about diet were just in my head it still slowed down my progress, and anything that does so for whatever reason is bad. Again, mind can be a powerful tool to you when dieting and you want it to stay that way.

Could there be other reasons? Definitely. Maybe protein sources I had picked were too low in fat therefore resulting in me feeling more hunger. Or maybe I wasn't eating enough food period. But you do not want to get too technical. You could drive yourself crazy! If over a few weeks something just bugs heck out you concerning diet you're on maybe you should try something else.

Also, consider what I call 'discomfort factor.' Naturally, any type of program where you restrict your calories will leave you a little uncomfortable in some way or another but it's to find one that you can tolerate with as little resistance as possible in order to succeed. Do not bang your head against a brick wall! Don't keep trying same thing if it doesn't work, switch. You might feel like your losing battle but in reality you're progressing. If nobody explored, we wouldn't have found North America!

Application

I know people who have lost weight by high protein diet and others who swear by high carbohydrate diet. It's your call. With all of this said, your best bet is to still choose one which makes most sense to you based upon research, testimonials, friends, advertising etc. Then work from there. And remember, don't get greedy (like I did :)... if something works stick to it! It won't take long before you master your mind and your body!

3. Begin thinking of your exercise program.

While weight training is not a necessity it is highly recommeded for permanent lasting results. But if inconvenience or a lack of interest is an issue then cardiovascular activity will do just fine! Though what we explored in my other article about weight training is definitely true, it possible by all means to meet your goals with aerobic exercise. As with your goals, ask yourself these questions...Do I like to exercise at home? How much time do I have or am willing to put into it? What types of exercise do I enjoy (eg. walking, stationary bike etc.)? What days am I available?

I will now share with you some quick guidelines concerning your cardio. Incase you didn't know aerobic (meaning with air) exercise is most beneficial for burning fat. Examples are swimming, jogging, brisk walking, running, stairclimber etc. The easiest to do by far is exercise bike and walking. To be effective, aerobic exercise must last at least 20 minutes in duration. It doesn't have to be strenuous at all. If you can't hold a reasonable conversation while you train you are working too hard. Your heart rate does not have to be elevated that high. Also, opposite of aerobic is anaerobic meaning your are using more muscle power. Therefore, if you are on bike and your legs start to burn release tension a little bit. Gradually as your muscles become more tired it still takes same lung power to move pedals while using lighter resistance. Either way you win!

To start off, 20-30 minutes of cardio three times a week should do wonders for you. As long as you are consistent you will see results. Remember that most of time it is not exercise that is at fault but person doing them or not doing them! Again, exercise does not have to be hard but consistent. I have tried to make these guidelines as easy as possible for you because when it comes down to it, we tend not to do things we don't like or feel is too strenuous.

There! This plan should be enough to get you started well on your way to meeting your fitness goals. Once you have foundation laid down in this manner you can use other information you acquire to build upon it. Good luck and take it all way!