Weight loss is achieved through a simple formula that involves a few key concepts: Eat fewer calories, expend more calories and structure your diet-and-exercise program for long-term success. To lose weight and keep it off, you may need the support gained by keeping benchmarks, spending time with fellow dieters or choosing physical activities that you can enjoy over time. The American Heart Association reminds you that a good way to permanently lose weight is to make a commitment of at least two years. This allows you to ease into exercise and calorie reduction and to make a healthy lifestyle habit-forming.
Create and Record Goals
According to the Mayo Clinic, starting a weight-loss program with an achievable goal increases your chances for success. The Mayo Clinic considers a loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week to be safe and reasonable. Get a doctor's advice on what your total goal should be, or use the Mayo Clinic's calorie calculator tool to help shape your plan to lose weight.
Walk a Mile a Day
Make physical activity manageable by choosing long-term weight loss. AARP reports that in order to lose 1 lb. of fat, an average adult must expend 3,500 calories. If you walk just 1 mile a day while maintaining your calorie intake, you will lose that pound in a month.
Cut Calories
For quicker weight loss, walk a mile or more daily as you reduce your calorie intake. According to AARP, you can lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week by trimming 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily total. A good way to trim calories is by eat fewer foods that are high in fat and sugar, such as whole-milk products and carbonated beverages.
Drink Low-Cal Beverages
In fact, your greatest calorie savings may come from switching to water as your beverage of choice. If you usually drink fruit juice, cola, beer or wine, AARP notes that you could save an average of 150 calories per meal and lose or maintain your weight more easily.
Try Meal Replacements
The Mayo Clinic acknowledges that diets that substitute a nutritional beverage product for one or two meals a day work well for the short term. Drinks such as Slim-Fast represent decreases of 200 calories or more per meal, while still providing the vitamins, minerals and fiber that your body needs.
Increase Physical Activity
The more you move, the more pounds you'll lose if your diet remains within its calorie limits. The American Dietetic Association encourages you to look for little ways to add more physical activity throughout the day. Walk farther, exercise longer or add a game of tennis in addition to your usual exercise program.
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