Weight Loss Through Exercise & Diet

Weight loss programs are endlessly touted on TV, the Internet and in magazines. Some feature prepackaged meal plans. Others promote regimented menus. Still others suggest that various supplements will make extra pounds disappear. But if you want to lose weight and keep it off, exercising regularly and eating sensible portions of healthy food is a reliable option that you can achieve with self-discipline.

Burn Calories

It's unrealistic to think you'll always eat sensibly in a food-focused world. But exercise can help burn those excess calories. One pound equals 3,500 calories of fat, according to Mayo Clinic. By working off 500 extra calories a day, you can lose a pound a week. The number of calories a person burns depends on several factors, including height, weight and gender. But, as a general example, a 140-pound person can burn about 500 calories by doing 70 minutes of high-impact aerobics, according to CaloriesPerHour.com.

Make Exercise Fun

It's important to pick a physical activity you enjoy so that you stay with it over the long haul. Exercise can be an effective weight-loss tool, but you have to make it part of your lifestyle. Fitness professionals recommend 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week, according to the American Council on Exercise. The council defines moderate activity as physical movement that raises your heart rate but doesn't leave you so breathless that you can't carry on a conversation.

Choose Variety

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the abundance of contradictory and confusing news about food. But the American Dietetic Association offers this simple guideline to help you maintain a healthy diet: Pick from a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods. That includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein choices, including meat, poultry and fish.

Eat Often

Although it seems like a sure way to gain weight, eating throughout the day can help you shed pounds, according to CaloriesPerHour.com. The idea is to eat small amounts of healthy food about every three hours. This should help you avoid overeating and also keep you energized. One way to start: Only eat half your lunch at noon, then the remainder at 3 p.m.

Reward Yourself

To keep motivated, set small, realistic goals for your weight loss and workouts. When you've lost a certain amount of weight or you've exercised consistently over a period of time, reward yourself, suggests the American Dietetic Association. But that reward shouldn't be food or a week's vacation from exercise. Rather, focus on something that reinforces your new, healthy lifestyle, such as new workout clothes, a massage or a few personal training sessions.