Weight loss is a straightforward process: Eat fewer calories than you burn. As simple as it sounds, people struggle with losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. The problem with carrying too much weight is more than not fitting into your favorite jeans. People who are overweight are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
Weight
You can find calorie needs calculators online or do the math yourself. The calculation recommended by the University of Washington Medical Center involves multiplying your body weight by 15. Add the number of minutes of moderate activity you participate in daily, multiplied by 3.5, to reach the number of calories you require to maintain your weight.
Subtracting 500 calories from your current daily total will result in a weight loss of between 1 and 2 pounds a week, assuming you do not add any activity. Determine your goal weight and grab a calendar to set a realistic date to reach that goal.
Exercise
If you normally use the stair climber for 30 minutes, gradually increase it to an hour; if you normally walk, add some jogging.
If you don't exercise, start walking every day, and gradually increase either the length of time or your speed. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 94 percent of its registrants increased physical activity to lose weight.
Eat Smart
Several tricks can help you cut calories, such as eating off a smaller plate, setting your fork down between bites, having a bowl of soup or salad with dinner, and not eating after 7 p.m.
Choose snacks that add to your nutrition for the day and are filling. You're not limited to low-calorie choices, however. Nuts, for example, are higher in calories than many diet foods, but nutrient-rich. Paying attention to portion size is the key.
Food Diary
Count the calories of every bite you put in your mouth.
Record your calories in a food diary so you don't underestimate how much you eat. Your diary can be as simple as a notebook, or as high-tech as an online diary that adds calories, nutrients, fats, proteins and carbohydrates for the day from a database of foods.
Lifestyle
In addition to daily exercise, increase the number of calories you burn through lifestyle changes. Walk between shops when running errands rather than drive. Add an after-dinner stroll to your schedule.
Replace passive activities with active ones, such as playing ball with your family or flying a kite rather than watching a movie or hanging out in front of the computer.
Fiber and Fat
Add fiber to your diet. Fiber--particularly insoluble fiber, which is found in fruits, vegetables, seeds and whole-grain products--and pectin--which is found in apples and citrus fruits--increase feelings of fullness and aid in appetite control.
Decrease your fat intake. Fatty foods make it difficult to lose weight because they are naturally high in calories. For example, 1 g of protein or carbohydrate contains 4 calories, while 1 g of fat contains 9 calories. Reducing consumption of fatty foods will naturally cut calories.
Liquids
Drink plenty of water on your quest to lose weight. It will help you feel full and aid in digestion.
The only calories you drink should come from low-fat or fat-free dairy. Soft drinks, sweet tea and alcohol add empty calories and do nothing to reduce your appetite. In the case of alcohol, you may find that you eat more once your inhibitions are lowered by drinking.
Rest
Fatigue, stress and boredom are all common triggers that can lead to mindless eating. Get at least seven hours of sleep each night so you're well-rested.
Find ways to manage stress, such as meditation, talking with friends or keeping a journal.
Encouragement and Challenges
Tell your family and friends you are starting a diet and would like their support. The peer pressure can help keep you on track when you're temped to reach for the ice cream or skip a workout.
Challenges, such as signing up to run a 5K for a local charity, are another way to stay motivated.
Goals and Support
Stick to a realistic goal of losing 1 to 2 pounds a week. This may seem discouraging if you have a lot of weight to lose, but if you lose the weight slowly you're more likely to develop effective habits that keep the weight from returning.
Seek support from a structured diet plan, friends at the gym, an online weight loss forum or an open group such as Overeaters Anonymous. Such venues allow you to vent frustration and share small--and large--victories.
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