Last Updated on November 6, 2017 by Michael Brockbank
A vast number of people constantly look for that one perfect universal cure for being overweight. Pills, diet plans, operations and more are quite common in a commercialized country. But do any of them promote more than what you can do yourself? Is there such thing as a magic bullet, or are people faced with placebos to reach fitness goals?
What Magic Bullet are You Considering?
You currently have access to all kinds of options when it comes to health and fitness. However, not all of them are ideal for every situation. A lot of this is because people are unique and have specific needs for optimal health.
The trick is to discover what your needs are and how to adapt.
Here are a few of those options that are considered a magic bullet for health by many.
Diet Plans
Diet plans do have a place when it comes to losing weight and living healthy. Most people are able to drop a lot of weight simply by changing what they consume. Even I have a plan of sorts; it’s just not the same as a mainstream fad diet plan you see advertise all over Facebook.
The plans I am against are the ones that charge a lot of extra money to follow. Things like ordering your food and having it delivered, or restricting yourself to what ancient man had access to is asinine to me.
Fire up the barbecue; it’s time to roast some crickets! If you’re gonna do it, see it all the way through.
Yes, there are a lot of things on the market today that don’t promote health. However, I don’t believe you need to deny yourself those pleasures just to lose weight. In fact, I am living proof that you don’t. I still lost 60 pounds while enjoying sugary goodies and pizza. I just know when to stop eating.
Everything in moderation.
Diet Pills
Dietary supplements always get under my skin. Most pill bottles have a disclaimer that it works best with a good diet and exercise. Then again, all weight loss works with a good diet and exercise.
I’m sure there are some pills out there that do as they say and “burn fat” at a faster pace than doing it naturally. On the other hand, some basic foods do the same thing if you’re willing to toss in a few fruits and veggies in your daily routine.
I guess I am soured on the idea of a pill-based magic bullet for weight loss. I’ve bought into a few and saw no extreme change as the manufacturer would claim. Then again, I didn’t change my diet or exercise routines – which would defeat the purpose of using a “supplement.”
Surgeries
I am against weight loss surgeries in most cases. I know there are people out there who desperately need operations such as gastric bypass. Unfortunately, I know many who do it simply because they are too lazy or lack motivation to be fit themselves.
Most surgeries require an extremely strict dietary and activity plan. If you don’t follow those plans, it could be quite painful and create an incredible amount of discomfort. In other words, weight loss surgeries force you to live a certain way, or else.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that all people who get these surgeries are lazy. Some have life-or-death situations where surgeries are required to continue living. I’m more disappointed in the people who are fully capable of changing themselves but rather not.
My resentment to these kinds of operations are more related to my problem with being forced to do something. Things like gastric bypass will force you to change your habits. I would rather overcome my demons on my own…and I’ve been somewhat successful so far.
Expensive Exercise Equipment
Looking to spend thousands of dollars on the magic bullet of exercise machines? Some of these are pretty interesting and look amazing. But how many people do you know who have routines today based on a machine they bought a year ago?
The majority of people I know who have exercise equipment leave it covered in dust in the corner. Even my resistance bands don’t get as much love as they once did. This is mostly because people get tired of the routine or become lax thanks to a lack of motivation.
Again, it’s all in the mentality of how you approach health and fitness…same with the diet plan. Expensive machines require as much of a commitment to preparing dietary meals day in and day out. Otherwise, you’ll slap them up on Craig’s List to get some of your money back six months later.
Why I Choose to Do It Myself
I guess I am too much of a purist. I prefer to change my life without a magic bullet. It’s more than just weight loss for me; it’s about discovering and building onto who I am as a person.
Self-Confidence
When I reach my goal weight, I will look back and feel a sense of pride in my accomplishment. In fact, I am quite proud of what I’ve achieved so far. Sure these last couple of months have plateaued for me. But that’s because I wasn’t trying hard enough.
I have more confidence today than I did 60 pounds ago. The thought of doing all this without a magic bullet or some special social media “life hack” makes me feel pretty great, actually. Learning how to make the right choices to a better lifestyle keeps me moving forward.
Understanding Myself
Yes, watching the scale roll back is exciting. But like I said, it’s more than just weight loss. This whole journey showed me a lot of good and bad things about myself. And learning how to adapt to those moments helps me understand who I am and where I am heading.
From a physical perspective, it’s nice to know where my limitations lie and create strategies to overcome my weaknesses. Proper health and fitness is about discovering your limits and how to improve yourself both mentally and physically.
Too Poor
Probably the most important aspect to why I choose to do it myself is because I don’t have the money for most diet plans or exercise machines. However, this helps me discover that you don’t need a lot of money to lose weight and live healthier. In fact, I save money every time I go through the checkout line at the grocery store.
Don’t let a lack of funds put a monkey wrench in your plans for health. There are many things you can do to improve yourself without spending a single dime. For instance, make it a routine to walk around your neighborhood more often. This alone helped me lose the first 20 pounds.
You are Your Own Magic Bullet
In reality, there is no panacea for good health. Most products will fail if you don’t have the right mindset. At that point, you could very well lose the weight on your own. It’s all about having faith in yourself and knowing that you make the difference, not some commercialized diet pill or severely altered eating habits. A new life is yours for the taking…if you’re strong enough to move forward.
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