Why Diets Don't Work

When people find out I am a personal trainer, more times than not I get asked questions about diets and weight loss.

We all have stories about ourselves, friends and relatives who have tried many different diets to lose weight, or who have lost weight and can't seem to stay near their target weight.

(Before I tell you the secret of weight loss, turn your head and look to the right, then turn your head and look to the left. We may not want to share this with just anyone.)

Here it is: the key to weight loss is boosting your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day.

Let's think about this a minute. We diet, we lose weight -- then the minute we stop dieting, the weight comes back on. This is because we haven't changed our metabolism.

Here are three easy tips to boost your metabolism:

1. Be sure to eat breakfast because you want to get the furnace started for the day.
2. Get plenty of rest because when the body is well rested it functions at a higher level.
3. Eat five to six small meals daily -- our body can process the food more efficiently and this helps keep your metabolism at a higher level throughout the day.

For dietary guidelines on what you should be eating, check out MyPyramid.gov.