If you eat the same and exercise the same your whole life, you would, on average, gain half a pound a year after age 30 due to the body's natural metabolic slow down. If you plan on short-term starvation and then return to your old eating habits, you are doomed to fail and, in the process, damage your metabolism. Research has shown that rapid weight loss and then a reciprocal weight gain repeated again and again over a number of years is damaging to the thyroid gland and the immune system. If you go on a diet which you are not comfortable with, then you will not stay on the diet and your weight gain will reoccur. You have to change your eating habits over time to a way of eating that is healthy and that you enjoy.

Weight loss should begin with a change in eating habits; changes which you like or at the very least you can live with are best. You know that eating right makes you feel better and look better, but it does take time and effort. You have to spend more time planning and preparing your meals. Try to eat more ethnic foods which rely on spices for flavor, as opposed to the North American diet, which relies heavily on sugar, fat, and salt for flavor. You should be looking at losing an average of one to one-and-a-half pounds per week. It is actually better to see how your clothes fit and then go stand on the scale every day. Weight fluctuates from day to day and your ideal weight will be what you weigh when you eat and exercise properly. Setting unrealistic goals is not healthy.

You have to turn your body into a fat-burning machine but this has to be done by a build-up of enzymes in the body to help burn off fat. These enzymes are built-up in the body through gentle exercise, since these enzymes are not present in the body if you do not exercise. You had them when you were young, but sedentary life causes these enzymes to diminish with time. These fat-burning enzymes must be remade by the body in order to help burn off fat; no enzymes means no fat is burned off. In fact, if you are out of shape, you can run around like a fool for an hour and not burn off any fat - the body uses only glucose and glycogen instead of fat. This process can be aided by the supplementation of enzymes like Bromelain and Mega Digestive Enzymes.

Natural laws of weight loss:

• Eat at least three meals per day - preferably more frequent, smaller meals;
• Have breakfast to start your metabolism, a substantial lunch, and a smaller dinner;
• No late-night snacking - this usually occurs because you skipped breakfast;
• Drink pure filtered water - at least four to eight glasses per day, or more if possible;
• Take a good daily Multi Vitamin and, preferably, a compound Antioxidant daily;
• Avoid caffeine, cola drinks, and other pop, even if they are diet;
• Drink diluted fruit juice and herbal teas, ie. Ginseng, Camomile and Peppermint;
• Get at least eight hours of sleep - this will help the body to repair itself and give you energy for the next day;
• Decrease your intake of table salt by switching to a low sodium replacement or potassium chloride and by using more herbs and spices;
• Avoid alcohol - a glass of wine before dinner for relaxation is allowed.

You must also adopt an exercise program. Your exercise will allow the body to build up the fat-burning enzymes which are required for an increase in fat weight loss. In the beginning, the exercise should be very gentle, such as walking at a rate where you do not feel out of breath. You should exercise for 30 to 40 minutes at least four to five times per week. Most often, this simply means leaving the car at home. The other reason for exercise is to maintain muscle mass. If you simply stop eating, you will lose fat, protein and water; your actual weight loss for one pound will only be 1/3 fat and the rest will be protein and water. It is not healthy for the body to lose protein as the body does this naturally with age and excess loss can lead to health problems. In your weight loss program, you should be making an effort to increase lean body mass. A weight-training program would be great. Loss of water will cause you to feel fatigued and will cause rapid weight loss and weight gain when you go off the diet, so please drink lots of water. Protein also weighs more than fat so that it is possible to lose fat from your body and replace it with lean protein. Your body weight may not change much but you will look much healthier.

A proper diet should consist of 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day, be high in fibre and complex carbohydrate foods, have three ounces of lean protein, and be low in refined carbohydrates and fat. Avoid the following: watching TV while eating, eating while stressed, caffeine, diet soda, snacking and swimming as an exercise program. All of the preceding have been shown to slow down weight loss. Do the following: eat in a quiet, relaxed place and chew your food well. Chewing your food causes you to eat slower and feel more satisfied as well as aiding in digestion.

Nutritional supplements:

• daily antioxidants.
• fiber supplement at a minimum of five grams per day.
• 500mg of Bromelain and 500mg of Mega Digestive Enzymes with meals.
• at least 400mcg of Chromium Proteinate every day.
• proper herbal supplements, like WNM and WNM II, which increase metabolism and prevent over-indulging in food and sweets.