In today’s frantically fast-paced world, particularly considering the advancements of modern technologies, we as a collective people, have a tendency to be somewhat impatient in our search for solutions. Instant gratification is generally the goal; however, immediate results are not always attainable, particularly regarding personal weight management.

In our search for immediate weight-loss success, we are bombarded daily by pundits who claim to have the latest “silver bullet” technique, product, or gadget guaranteed to help you shed those unwanted pounds, and more importantly, to keep them off forever.

After years of working in personal training, and extensive research of various supplements and gadgets on the market today, I have come to the same conclusions that countless, reputable exercise physiologists and personal trainers have arrived at. There is no “silver bullet.” This may be deflating to those who have sent their payments in for the newest electronically operated abdominal belt. Let not your hearts be troubled though, as there is most definitely good news for those of us who have struggled with maintaining our ideal body weight.

There is a tried and tested blueprint for personal weight management that has been known to many in the fitness field for years. The formula for success regarding body weight management is actually relatively simple, and universally true (in the absence of pre-existing medical conditions that may hinder progress, i.e. thyroid problems, or diabetes for example). If your personal goal is to lose weight, the primary objective is to take in fewer calories than your body currently burns in a twenty-four hour period. The immediate result is the body utilizing more body fat and stored carbohydrates for energy. At face value, the longer you continue to monitor your dietary intake in this manner, the more weight you will ultimately lose.

There are those individuals who are consistently underweight (this condition poses a myriad of health concerns as well). If the desired result is weight-gain, your objective should be to take in more calories than your body currently burns daily.

It is crucially important to note that an appropriate fitness routine or consistent exercise regimen needs to be adhered to in order to both maximize your results, and to reap the full gamut of benefits obtained from a healthy weight management plan. Dieting without consistent exercise will, in fact, yield a certain amount of noticeable results initially; however, this tactic over time will actually counter impact your goal. Drastically reducing your daily caloric intake without exercise prompts the body to actually restrict caloric output, or energy stores spent during the day, resulting frequently in feelings of fatigue, hunger, irritability, and ordinary discomfort. On the flip-side of the equation, if you are trying to gain weight simply by consuming more calories than you burn, without regular exercise, you will most definitely gain weight in ways and areas that are unintended and ill-advised.

The formula is clear and inevitably true. For healthy weight-loss results, try to cut your dietary intake by 15-25% of current intake, and incorporate three to five days of moderate intensity exercise per week. In the absence of a defective thyroid or other pre-existing condition, the results will come. Period. The same scenario applies to healthy weight gain. Increase your daily caloric intake by 15-25% and participate in three to five days of moderately intense exercise per week.