Contrary to popular belief,  dieting alone is not the best way to lose weight. In fact, it is probably the worst way. Why? Simply put, dieting for long periods of time puts your body into survival mode which will make your body store everything you eat as fat.

To prevent this you need to eat regular meals three times a day or small meals six times a day. Doing so will let your body know that food is available and to not hold on to food for later use. Eating regulary increases metabolism which also helps with weight loss.

Proper eating habits can only go so far. Exercise is ultimately the key factor in losing weight. Routine exercise allows you to have a calorie deficit which in turn helps you lose weight slowly and in a healthy longterm way. The more calories you use then you take in is what weight loss is all about.

Ever heard of diminishing returns? That concept applies to the world of fitness quite often. What does it mean? Basically, the more you work out with the same routine, the less effective it becomes. To consistently benefit from exercise, you need to change your routine frequently. A good time to switch up a routine is when you stop seeing results.

A real life example would be those who have picked up running in order to lose weight. The first few weeks of running will result in a loss of weight, but this success is only short lived. Simply put, after weeks of running, the body will have adapted to the running. In effect, it has become very efficient at the strenuous activity. Once this happens, the body will cease to lose weight as effectively as it once did. To see better results, you would need to increase running intensity or distance.

The same thing applies for weight lifters. The beginner weight lifter will see tremendous muscle growth if he/she has a decent workout routine. After awhile, the same routine will no longer increase strength or have much of an effect on muscle growth. This is because their body has grown accustomed to the amount of weight and sees no reason to grow. Much like in the running example, a change in either routine or amount of weight is needed.

Next time, when you see yourself not losing weight or gaining muscle, step back and look at your routine. Have you been doing the same thing  for months? If so, a change in rythm is needed.