'Fat Brain' Syndrome?

With so many people losing the battle against creeping weight gain, could there really be such a thing as ‘fat brain syndrome’? Probably not, but I’m always astounded by the number of people who seem resigned to lurching from one fad diet idea to the next, always hoping that this time it will work.nnLately, even some famous brands in the ‘weight loss’ industry have veered away from the word “diet”, presumably because of its negative connotations. Or is it because, in developed societies, we’ve simply become accustomed to effortless reward (and diets sound like hard work)?nnOne thing is certain: if you decide today that you are simply too overweight and you choose and begin another weight loss campaign (or diet) tomorrow, you are virtually sure to fail.nnOh, sure; you’ll lose some weight at first. Virtually any sudden change in eating habits (even eating the same amount of food, but having more and smaller meals) results in some early success with the bathroom scales.nnBut, the trick is to maintain the loss, and that’s where most attempts fail. Why is that? It’s because the results taper off, which removes the positive feedback, and pretty soon the willpower to continue the attempt withers away.nnUnfortunately, the loss of muscle involved in many weight loss attempts (yes, it’s easy to lose more than just body fat) means that a failed dieter resumes ‘normal life’ with a reduced ability to burn calories. That’s not a good thing when you’re going to be eating more of those calories!nnIt’s a depressing fact that most slimmers show the yo-yo pattern of ‘loss-gain-loss-gain’, often over a lengthy span of years. Yet few come to the conclusion that their repeated failures should have helped them to draw. nnPermanent loss of body fat is impossible without the correct state of mind when you start your effort.nnDesperate commitment just won’t see you through.nnWant a useful slimmer’s motto? How about: n“Time spent in achieving a correct state of mind before attempting weight loss is never wasted”. nIt means that you are likelier to start your campaign with some handy tools, such as:nn· A realistic aimn· Not expecting to reverse years of bad eating habits overnightn· Considering the long term and your lifestyle habitsn· Aiming to lose body fat and to preserve lean musclennThere may be no such thing as ‘fat brain syndrome’, but that doesn’t mean there’s no ‘lean brain’ equivalent.nnYour mind should be turned into your ally when your aim is to slim. Failure to do so will make it your enemy. And it will always win!n