Diet and supplement alone will not achieve fitness. Most people achieve low body fat percentages naturally through regular exercise. Excess weight accumulates because there is not enough movement occurs to burn them off. Although to lose weight you will have to eat less but no fewer than 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, shortcuts don't work. Basal metabolism (amount of energy expended while at rest) will adjust upward and the pounds will stay off if lower calorie intake is combined with increased calorie burning. Persistence is important as it take up to six months for the body to fully adjust on this kind of body chemistry.

Why dieting doesn't work? Lowering food intake is not an effective way to lose weight. The body's response to starving is to slow down the processes of metabolism and conserve energy stores including fat. An extremely low-carbohydrate, high-protein regimen will produce initial weight loss, but only through the diuretic effect of shedding water. Any program of weight loss and fitness should involve a sensible reduction in calories and moderate exercise. A healthy balanced diet will help the body overcome the stress that exercise brings. An undersupply of food leads only to quick fatigue during exercise.

Benefits of High Protein Diet: Protein is made up of string of amino acids and is not only important to good health but essential. Protein is used by the body for repairing tissue, for growth, and for building muscle. Protein is not converted to fat in the body, but instead it is used to make muscle. When a person has more muscle it just follows that he also has faster metabolism, which means burning off calories faster. It is important for athletes to get enough protein in the diet, but too much of it can cause fatigue and irritability, stress the kidneys, throw off the mineral balance in the cells, causes a calcium deficiency, and increased the risk of certain types of cancer. While if you eat carbohydrates alone, your body will store them as fat if they aren't burned off immediately. So make sure to balance your diet by combining just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrient rich foods.

Simple Exercise to Help You Shape Up

• Walking is often underrated. It actually involves more muscular activity than running, walking tones legs and buttocks and it has even shown to improve memory and alertness. Brisk Walking will get the pulse rate up fairly easily unless you are a highly conditioned athlete or very young. Beginners pace should be about 3 miles per hour. For more benefits, work up to 5 miles per hour over a period of months. Within four to six weeks, work up from 15 minutes daily to 45 minutes every other day. When you are comfortable with that do 45 to 75 minutes daily, which will cover 3 to 4 miles. You can increase the intensity without increasing speed by using weights.
• Running is an exercise for the conditioned exerciser, something to move up from walking or regular workouts if you're looking for more. The benefits are all-over toning. Running in particular can bring stress injuries through too much repetition. A good advice is to vary your route, take time off when you feel tired. If you're reason for running to lose fat or strengthen your heart, monitor your pulse rate as well.
• Stair Climbing. Take one or two steps at a time, building up to a speed that takes you to your target pulse rate. Come back down quickly and keep going for at least 20 minutes. Buttocks and legs get the most workouts here. Take a break or slow down if you feel that your legs need a rest. Keep your actions smooth, without bouncing or letting your knees hit your chest.
• Jumping Rope can bring more aerobic benefit per minute than jogging. Build up to a moderate pace, jumping low to avoid stressing feet, ankles, and knees. Since jumping rope is a high-impact activity, be sure to wear shoes with good cushioning. Avoid jumping on hard surfaces such as pavement or concrete.
• Cycling. Sustained cycling is a great workout for the legs and buttocks. Uninterrupted rides, outside, in high gear but with easy pedaling are recommended. Benefits come from rides of 20 to 45 minutes. Beginners should work up their speed gradually from 6 to 7 miles per hour, remembering that cycling at 11 miles per hour burns about four times as many calories per minute as pedaling at 5.5 miles per hour.
• Swimming. As will all aerobic conditioning, sustained exercise is needed, so use those length lanes at the pool. Aim for a moderate stroke rate for at least 20 minutes. This exercise will give you an over-all toning.