Losing 1 pound of weight requires you to use 3,500 more calories than you consume, according to Help Guide. Combining exercise with diet will allow you to lose weight faster, while staying healthy. However, you should avoid losing more than 1 to 2 pounds each week. Small life changes will help you accomplish healthy weight loss and maintain a healthy weight.
Portion Control
One small thing you can do to lose weight consists of learning to control your portions. Read the nutrition labels of the foods you eat to determine the size of one serving and limit yourself to one serving, advises the Weight-Control Information Network. You should also learn what some serving sizes look like. One cup of cereal or one baked potato takes up about the same amount of space as your fist. One-half cup of food equals about half of a baseball.
Eating Less
Changing some of your eating habits will also help you eat less and lose weight. Be sure to fully enjoy the smell and taste of your food by turning off the television, taking a break from work and chewing your food slowly, advises the Weight-Control Information Network. You may also want to use smaller plates and cups. This causes you to take less when you fill your glass or plate. Be sure to eat at regular intervals. Skipping meals causes you to eat larger portions the next time you eat. Finally, take the time to package leftovers and snacks in single servings for storage to lessen the possibility of taking more than one portion.
Eat Healthier
Substituting fattier foods and simple carbohydrates with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins will help you lose weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can have a larger sandwich at lunch while consuming fewer calories by replacing one slice of meat or cheese with a slice of tomato and a leaf of lettuce. When preparing a pasta or rice dish, replace one cup of grain with a cup of chopped vegetables. You will also feel fuller longer if you replace your potato chip snack with one consisting of fruits or vegetables.
Move More
In addition to helping you lose weight, moving more will help boost your mood, energy level and brainpower, advises Help Guide. To achieve these benefits, you should exercise at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes at least five days a week. Exercising at a moderate intensity requires you to breathe harder than normal and begin to sweat, without being out of breath. Common forms of exercise include yoga, bike riding and walking. However, if you do not have 30 minutes to spend on exercise, you can get your exercise throughout the day by breaking the 30 minutes into smaller bursts of exercise. You can do this by cleaning your house, washing your car, tending to your yard, taking the stairs, getting off the bus a stop sooner than your normal stop, parking father away from a building, actively playing with your kids or dancing to some music.
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