Losing weight requires you to reduce your calorie intake and increase physical activity. To lose a pound, you must burn about 3,500 calories more than you eat. Although the formula is simple, putting it into practice is not so easy. Family and work obligations throw off your workout and meal schedule. Holidays, special events and dinners out bring temptation. Hormones and stress can make cravings uncontrollable. Ten simple steps may help you overcome your weight loss obstacles and ingrain healthy habits into your lifestyle.
Eat More Protein
People eating a high-protein diet, as compared to a standard-protein diet, lost more weight in 12 weeks, according to a study in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease in October 2009. Protein can help make you feel full longer and creates a slight rev in your metabolism. When you do go for a higher-protein diet, make smart choices like lean poultry, fish, egg whites and soy. Avoid overeating saturated fat.
Pass on the Drinks
In addition to adding extra calories, alcohol loosens your inhibitions, making it harder to stick to your diet. If cutting out alcohol altogether is not an option for you, stick to a glass of red wine or a light beer to minimize calorie damage.
Have an Appetizer
Enjoy a cup of soup before your meals to squelch your appetite and eat as much as 20 percent less overall, according to a 2008 study in the journal Appetite. Go for broth-based soups such as chicken noodle, vegetable or minestrone to keep calories and fat intake to a minimum. If soup is not for you, a green salad with light dressing or even an apple can have the same appetite-diminishing effects.
Move
Although formal exercise is important to weight loss and health, staying active all day may be a better predictor of your weight. The New York Times in 2005 published an article reporting that lean people tend to burn 350 calories more daily through activity like gesturing, laughing, pacing and fidgeting than do overweight folks. Get up from your desk regularly, jump off the bus a stop earlier, and take the stairs as ways to increase your calorie burn.
Turn Off the TV
Watching television can hamper your weight loss efforts. The Harvard School of Public Health correlates television watching with inactivity. You are more likely to snack mindlessly in front of your favorite show and be exposed to diet-busting food ads. Cut back on television and engage in more physical pursuits. Take a walk, join a sports league or go to the playground with your kids.
Drink Water
Choose water for the majority of your drinks. A regular soda, juice and energy drink habit can add hundreds of calories without providing any nutritional benefit or feelings of satisfaction. If water alone does not cut it, try sparkling versions with lemon, lime or a splash of 100 percent pomegranate juice.
Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast helps prevent overeating later in the day. Researchers at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center concluded in the journal Obesity Research in 2002 that eating breakfast correlates to successful weight loss and maintenance. Grabbing a doughnut or a processed cereal bar is not enough, however. Make sure you eat a balance of protein, carbohydrates and monounsaturated fats. Try eggs with whole grain toast; oatmeal with almonds and berries; or a smoothie of bananas, flax seed oil, soy milk and frozen strawberries.
Snack on Almonds
Snacking on almonds may cause you to eat less overall during the day, according to a Purdue University report in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2007. Almonds offer healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber and vitamin E. Researchers are not sure why, but it also seems that calories in almonds are not wholly absorbed by the body.
Eat Dairy
Eating low-fat dairy enhances weight loss efforts in those following a low-calorie diet. Curtin University in Australia published a study in 2009 that found dieters who ate only three servings per day lost less weight and fat than those who consumed five servings per day. A serving is equivalent to 8 oz. of skim milk, low-fat cottage cheese or plain, nonfat yogurt.
Emphasize Vegetables
Cut back on the common foods in the American diet---red meat, potatoes and processed foods. Replace them with fresh produce, especially green vegetables. Foods like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, peppers and chard contain a lot of water and nutrients, meaning you can eat heaping servings without overeating calories. Fill at least half of your plate with these choices at every meal, and use meat and starches as an accent. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests trying new vegetables weekly to expand your palate.
References
- Obesity Research: Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry.
- Centers for Disease Control: Healthy Eating
- Harvard School of Public Health: Getting to Your Healthy Weight
- Appetite: Soup Preloads in a Variety of Forms Reduce Meal Energy Intake.
- The New York Times: The Lean and the Restless
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