Natural Weight Loss - Bogus Idea Or the Last Life Vest on a Sinking Ship?

With all the fad diets, crash diets, trendy weight loss plans, and brand-name weight management programs out there, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that losing weight can be done naturally. However, natural weight loss even has its own "brand" now-with raw food diets, herbal supplements, and cleansing detox rituals all claiming to be the "natural" way to lose weight.

Let's see if we can fight our way through all the noise and see if it's possible to lose weight naturally. We'll start by trying to define "natural", which is no small feat in this day and age.

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The word can have two different meanings, depending on your point of view. First, there is food.

What the heck does natural food mean?

Well, it means it comes from nature, to be overly simplistic about it. Natural food is the kind that takes the least amount of steps from its source to your plate. This is why raw food diets are called the most "natural" way to lose weight because you're eating a diet of foods that come form the earth-and are eaten raw or uncooked-merely reorganized into sometimes inventive and almost always delicious meals, if you're into vegetarian dieting.

But natural weight loss can also mean the manner in which you lose weight. A fad diet that makes you drop 20 pounds in 10 days is not natural. And while the diet is a healthy one, a prepared meal menu like NutriSystem, since it is unsustainable in the long term, is not natural as well. A raw food diet is considered a natural method of weight loss if you plan on eating that way even after you've lost the weight.

Losing weight naturally doesn't just mean eating less and exercising more. It's a commitment to change that will last you a lifetime. It's about making healthy choices, avoiding foods that can harm your body, and keeping fit even in your golden years.

By this definition, it makes good sense to lose weight the natural way, doesn't it? By doing so, you've released yourself from a kind of tyranny of yo-yo dieting, of the stress you have about your weight, and the disappointment you feel when you gain back the weight you fought so hard to lose.

But, it's not always as easy as it seems on paper, is it? There's a lot of will power involved, and a change not only in your actions but in your mindset as well.

That means no more emotional eating, no more eating out of boredom, and no more eating out of habit. Instead, you get to eat when you're hungry, until you're satisfied. And if you feel the need to splurge on a special fattening treat, then do it with a little love! Don't beat yourself up about it. Tomorrow is another day, filled with the possibility of healthy eating and good, heart-healthy exercise.

To sum it up, natural weight loss is not about being thin, necessarily. Instead, it's about making smart choices that last a lifetime.