Weight loss can be challenging. There are always fad diets and gimmicks, and you might be confused about the best way to lose weight. Typically, fad diets and gimmicks do not work, or they get quick, temporary results. According to Mayo Clinic preventive medicine specialist Dr. Donald Hensrud, crash dieters often regain their weight within six months. To lose weight and keep it off, you're much better off losing weight the healthy way.
Gradual Weight Loss
A healthy weight loss is one to two pounds per week, or 1 percent of your body weight. Losing weight too quickly results in muscle mass lost, not just body fat. Gradual weight loss will help you develop a strong, realistic weight-loss plan that will ensure long-term success. For every pound you want to lose, you need to cut out, or burn, 3,500 calories. Breaking this down, you will need to reduce your calories by 500 to 1,000 per day to lose up to two pounds per week.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Every good weight-loss program should incorporate cardiovascular exercise (cardio). Thirty to 60 minutes of cardio training at least three days a week will help you burn calories to lose weight. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends building up to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio most or all days of the week. Running or walking one mile will burn an average of 100 calories, to give you an idea of how much work you will need to do. Try a variety of cardiovascular exercises to keep things fresh and to help challenge your body so that it will burn more calories.
Strength Training
Strength training should be incorporated in a healthy weight-loss program to prevent muscle mass loss, increase strength and increase lean body mass. A leaner body will be more metabolically active than a fat body, resulting in more calories burned daily. Strength training can also increase metabolism for up to 12 hours after the workout.
Nutrition
Smart nutrition choices should be your focus, not "dieting." Smart nutrition consists of smaller meal sizes, eating more frequently and replacing some unhealthy food choices with high-protein and high-fiber foods. Eat five to six small meals, including fruits and vegetables. Do not skip meals, and always eat breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Over time, this method of eating will get easier and speed up your metabolism so you can keep the weight off.
Keep a Journal
Keeping a journal or log of your daily meals and activities will help you achieve success. Seeing what you are doing on paper will help motivate you. As you lose weight, keep track of that as well. Seeing your success will help keep you going, and if you have a week when you do not lose weight, you can go back and see if you made some mistakes. Do not get discouraged if you have a bad week, or slip up, just get back on track.
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