Losing 40 lbs. requires a commitment to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Although fad diets and supplement manufacturers promise you fast results, these diets usually cause frustration and weight regain in the long run, notes the American Heart Association. Focus on revamping your lifestyle to lose the weight and keep it off for life.
Approach
To lose 1 lb. of weight, you must consume 3,500 calories less than you burn. You should first figure out how many calories you burn daily by using a website like The Daily Plate at Livestrong. The Centers for Disease Control recommends aiming for a weight loss of just 1 or 2 lbs. per week. While this may seem slow when you are eager to lose a large amount of weight, it better ensures that you can adhere to your plan and that you are losing fat, rather than just water or valuable lean muscle. To lose at this rate, seek to eat between 500 and 1,000 calories less than you burn daily.
Types of Food
The Harvard School of Public Health discourages people seeking weight loss from eating traditional "American" foods like potatoes, salty snacks, white bread and red meat, as they are generally unhealthy. Foods such as soda, candy and sweets provide very little nutritional value and do not offer much in the way of satiation. Eating whole, unprocessed foods is a good way to eliminate excess fat and calories. Focus on a plant-based diet rich in green vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains. Use fish and poultry as your primary meat sources, but also explore other proteins, like soy, eggs and beans. Proper nutrition, when you are trying to lose weight, is important because it helps you feel more satisfied and keeps your energy levels high enough to promote activity.
Strategy
The way you approach your daily diet plan really depends on your lifestyle and personal preferences. If you find you do better with three meals and two snacks, stick to that pattern. Some people prefer a "grazing" pattern in which they divide their daily calorie allotment up into five or six small meals that they eat at regular increments throughout the day. For example, if you plan to eat 1,500 calories a day, you may enjoy five 300-calorie meals or a 400-calorie breakfast, lunch and dinner with two 150-calorie snacks. Even after you reach your goal, sticking to a structured meal plan will help you keep the weight off. Skipping meals will not help you lose the weight, however. In fact, it might backfire as you become too hungry to make good decisions at your next meal.
Portion Sizes
Becoming aware of proper portion sizes is paramount because too much of any food---even healthy ones---can impede your ability to lose weight. A kitchen scale, along with measuring cups and spoons, helps you get a better idea of what 4 oz. of protein or ½ cup of whole grains actually looks like. Relying on restaurants and frozen dinners, even if you try to make good choices, undermines your ability to lose weight. Not only are the portion sizes distorted, you simply cannot be certain of how food was prepared and even seemingly healthy dishes may contain far more fat, sodium and calories than your meal plan allows.
Meal Ideas
Eating breakfast every day is important to weight loss, as noted by 78 percent of the 5,000 members of the National Weight Control Registry who successfully lost an average of 66 lbs. and have maintained their losses for over one year. Egg-white omelets, oatmeal with berries, peanut butter on whole-grain toast or even a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk are all options. A clear soup and salad at lunchtime, with the inclusion of some type of protein like beans, shrimp or chicken, will help you stay full. At dinner, fill your plate with green vegetables and accent them with a small serving of meat and ½ cup of brown rice or sweet potatoes. Go for high-volume snacks that offer minimal calories---grapes, air-popped popcorn or cut-up vegetables with hummus offer fiber and nutrients while satisfying your urge to munch.
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