The Secret to Staying Motivated for New Year Weight Loss
Research indicates that about 95% of people who begin a fat reduction program will fail to achieve their goals.
Why? While there is a multitude of reasons why this occurs.
Undoubtedly the primary reasons are a lack of motivation and “weight loss” resulting from not meeting personal expectations.
This article describes the single most effective and scientific.
Based on monitoring your fat reduction program’s success, use Bioelectrical Impedance Assessment to provide a “road map” for your quest.
What is Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA)?
BIA is an assessment that allows a very accurate determination of the two components of body composition:
Adipose/body fat tissue and lean tissue (muscle and bone) while simultaneously reducing the variation that can occur when using repeated skinfold measurements.
BIA is comparable to the “Gold Standard” of body composition determination – underwater weighing. (BIA is less invasive than skin fold measurements as the test can be entirely clothed).
The BIA test involves using a BIA machine that passes a small, invisible electrical charge between an electrode on your hand and an electrode on your foot.
The BIA unit measures the resistance (impedance) of the electrical charge. And this information accurately determines the percent body fat and the percent lean tissue.
The principle of its operation is this: muscle high in water content conducts electricity well and offers a lower resistance compared to adipose tissue, which contains minimal water and provides high resistance.
Therefore, if the impedance reading is low, the percent body fat is low, and vice versa.
Read Also, Benefits of drinking water.
Why does BIA help with motivation and adherence to a weight-loss program?
In another article on our website, we explained the complications of using changes in body weight to judge the success of a fat reduction campaign.
We mentioned that monitoring body composition is essential.
Since “weight loss” is a relative term, body fluid and lean muscle tissue fluctuations complicate scale readings.
For example, if you include resistance training in your fat-loss campaign and rely on the scale reading.
You may get discouraged when you put on weight since muscle, which is high in water content “weighs more than fat.”
BIA is an excellent way of providing a plan or map for tracking your progress and staying motivated since you can independently monitor both components of body weight – adipose tissue and lean (muscle and bone) tissue.
BIA provides concrete evidence of slight changes in lean muscle tissue and fat percentage – even when body dimensions and weight do not indicate.
This is important because an increase in lean tissue percentage (from resistance training, for example) automatically decreases body fat percentage and vice versa.
What other benefits does BIA offer to help me stay motivated?
In addition to measuring fat and lean tissue, BIA can also provide ideal body fat, and lean tissue ranges based on your actual test results – not from height/weight tables and other normative data.
This makes your fat loss goal more personal and scientifically realistic – boosting motivation.
Most BIA units will also provide your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR.
BMR is the minimum energy (calories) required by the body to sustain essential life functions such as heartbeat and breathing.
BMR is directly proportional to lean muscle tissue content since muscle consumes energy and produces body heat.
For example, even at rest, a bodybuilder will have a higher metabolism and consume more energy than an unconditioned sedentary individual.
In addition, some BIA units can calculate an Estimated Average Requirement or EAR- the number of calories (energy) you require in a day to maintain your presence.
Weight based on your BMR and your reported daily physical activity level.
The EAR is the most helpful information a person on a fat loss plan can use, as it gives a scientifically determined calorie target based on theirs.
Personal lifestyle to work from – again providing direction and added motivation to “stick it out” and lose fat mass and not just “weight.”
You can calculate the number of calories a day to cut out from the EAR using diet and exercise.
For example, if your goal is to lose 2 lb of fat a week, then you will need to cut about 1 000 calories from your EAR [(3 500 cal/lb fat divided by seven days/week) x 2].
Lastly, a BIA will also provide information on your hydration status.
Hydration during fat reduction plans is essential as the products of low-caloric diets like ketones and urea must be eliminated via the urine – increasing the risk of dehydration and slanting “weight loss” results.
Where can I get a BIA, and what are some tips for getting a good test?
Most reputable weight loss centers, personal trainers, or exercise physiologists can provide this assessment.
Be careful though, not to place high reliability on hand-held BIA units (“body fat tester”) or BIA scales you stand.