For so many people, losing weight means staying hungry all the time which is something most us don’t want to do. Or if they do want to, they go overboard and almost starve themselves to death.

However, what is very important to keep in mind is the fact that for any weight loss program to be sustainable, you have to combine diet with exercise.

If you really put your mind to it, you could knock off the pounds in no time just by cutting out all the calories in your diet. This isn’t really a solution because the moment you start going back to your old diet, the pounds pile on again with a vengeance. Quick-fix weight loss can never be a long term solution.

That’s one of the things I try to teach people about the master cleanse, that it’s not a quick fix solution for losing weight, but it can be a potent way to kick start a new healthy lifestyle. More about the master cleanse and weight loss

Why does just dieting not work?

If you want to lose fat you need to create a calorie deficit. In other words you need to burn more calories then you take in. If you’re not working out then you’ll have to make a dramatic cut in the amount of food you eat to lose fat, and it’s quite tough to keep doing that for the rest of your life. And when you do let up, (it starts with just one bite more and goes back to what you were originally eating, or worse still, even more) whatever weight you lost just comes back.

If you realize what is happening and quickly cut back once more, you’ll probably lose it all again but this kind of on-off diet is quite dangerous from a health point of view. It’s also emotionally taxing.

However, if you use diet and exercise as the foundation for a long term weight loss program, you can be sure your efforts will pay off. What you must keep in mind though is that this exercise-and-diet routine must be consistent. So, it makes sense not to overdo things but to adopt a plan that you are comfortable with. Which means you should avoid a frenetic exercise plan or a starvation diet plan. It’s a sensible combination of both that you should strive for.

When it comes to exercise, what most people need to keep them fit is about 20 minutes of exercise a day/ 5 days a week. That would be a walk around a few blocks for most.

Don’t overdo either the exercise or the diet plans. If you do, chances are you’ll get bored (or miserable) and give it up at some point. If you push yourself to an exhausting exercise schedule, you could run the risk of injuring yourself.

Exercise Tips:

The choice of exercise equipment is wide and varied to say the least. Mixing up your workout routine is one of the best ways to prevent boredom, and keep you interested in working out.

While nothing beats exercising out in the fresh air what do you do when it rains, when it’s far too hot or shivering cold? You could choose from the stationary bike and treadmill or very high-tech fancy equipment like the newest elliptical trainers. On a budget? There’s always a jump rope, or the grade school throwback jumping jacks. The key is to just get moving!

Keep in mind that the latest piece of exercise equipment is no good unless you use it. It’s pointless to have the latest gadget and have it lying in a corner unused, fast turning into a white dust elephant.

You should also consider weight training. Having a strong body is big health benefit as it will prevent injuries and increase the amount of calories your body burns.

Whatever suits you, just go ahead and start and keep going. There just isn’t too much that can be said about the benefits of exercise going hand in hand with a healthy diet plan. You’ll be glad when the results start showing and when they are there to stay.