Let’s face it – we value instant gratification. Worship might be a better term. From our food to our internet access to how quickly we get in and out of a gas station, we demand things be done quickly and efficiently. It’s easy to forget that certain things cannot be done with speed; that “slow and steady” are more the rule than the exception. So it is with effective weight loss and a healthy lifestyle in general.

There is no true quick weight loss, that is unless you’re willing to consider dangerous or ineffective pills and procedures. And even if these quick fixes work, their fat reduction benefits are only temporary. Research proves this time and again. Therefore, for weight loss to be truly effective it must be meaningful and permanent.

You can’t have it all
Permanent weight loss requires that a person commits to a lifetime of healthy foods and physical activity, not just an “I want it now” remedy. Look at quick fixes like gastric bypass or any of the other weight loss surgeries. Researchers have found that those who undergo surgery tend to gain back their weight within a couple of years. Why? It’s simple. Because they keep their overweight diet and lifestyle, while still expecting to see a beautiful, thin body in the mirror.

Starvation diets and diet pills are unfortunately more quick-fix staples of weight loss, even though these things never work in the long-term. Consider this for one moment. When you look at healthy, active people, do they honestly look like they’re starving themselves? Do they look as unhappy as you have likely felt if you have ever tried radically reducing the calories in your diet? Of course not. Or do you believe they must take diet aids like acai berry pills to stay skinny? Absolutely not.

So why is it that dieters believe they must rely on these quick fixes to be thin, but believe thin people don’t have to do the same to stay thin? Here’s the simple secret: thin people maintain a healthy weight because they eat quality (real) foods, stay active, and eat sweets and other junk food only on a limited basis and in moderation. In short, thin people do the things day in and day out that create a healthy body.

The band-aids don’t fix the problem
When you believe that quick fixes are a requirement for effective weight loss and a healthy weight – even though you believe they aren’t necessary for thin people – you legitimize self-imposed limitations. The great success guru Napoleon Hill said it best when he stated, “we foolishly believe that our own limitations are the proper measure of limitations.”

Keep in mind that impatiently chasing quick fixes merely reinforces the desire to maintain an overweight lifestyle. That’s because a person never addresses the bad habits that got them where they are today and simply applies a quick fix band-aid in hopes it permanently solves their problem. Can you see how that doesn’t make any sense?

If you want a healthy weight, then you must change your lifestyle to change the problem. Simply put – to be thin, you’ve got to live like a thin person. And there’s no room for impatience here. It took time to gain the weight and it’ll take time to lose it. But your weight will come off as soon as you remove your desire for an overweight lifestyle. There are no magic weight loss pills. It’s entirely up to you to create a better you. You either want to be healthy, and are willing to do something meaningful about it, or you don’t. No radical diets, pills or procedures will give you effective weight loss until YOU decide to create a different lifestyle and outcome. Make that step today and change your life for the better!