In your search for a successful weight loss plan, you have undoubtedly found many suggestions and tips. Unfortunately, no quick fix exists for weight loss. If you want to lose weight for life, you have to make changes to both your diet and your exercise habits, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. Weight loss comes from gradual exercise and diet changes, which will lead to a new lifestyle.
Weight Loss
To lose one pound of weight, you have to create a deficit of 3,500 calories between what you consume and what your body uses, according to HelpGuide.org. If you want to lose one pound each week, you need to consume 500 less calories each day than your body burns for daily functions. Exercising helps to increase the calorie deficit you create each day and speeds up your weight loss.
Goal Setting
Setting proper goals can help increase your chance of successful weight loss. Your goals should take into account your fitness level, any time restrictions you may have, any medical conditions you face, and your level of motivation, according to the Mayo Clinic. Focus your goals on the short term and taking small steps. A good goal focuses on the weight loss process, like getting 30 minutes of exercise each day. While you cannot prevent all setbacks, you can prepare for them by planning for any you can foresee.
Healthy Eating
When planning meals and snacks, focus on eating fruits and vegetables, recommends HelpGuide.org. By consuming more fruits and vegetables, you decrease both your calorie intake and your fat intake. Select lean proteins like skinless poultry, beans, seeds and nuts, to help decrease your calorie intake and help keep yourself feeling fuller for a longer period of time. Drink more water and fewer high-calorie drinks to quickly reduce the number of calories you consume. Include all of the food groups in your diet and take a multivitamin to prevent illnesses caused by nutrient gaps.
Aerobic Training
Every healthy person under the age of 65 should exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes on at least five days out of every seven, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. However, to lose weight, you may have to exercise up to 90 minutes on most days of the week. If you cannot exercise for 30 to 90 minutes straight, you can break it down into shorter sessions. Get your exercise in by climbing the stairs, parking farther from your destination and walking, push mowing your lawn, joining an aerobic exercise class, cycling or performing any other activity that will increase your heart rate and make you sweat, while allowing you to carry on a conversation.
Strength Training
Building muscle will also help you burn more calories throughout the day, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. To build and maintain your muscle mass, you should strength train a minimum of three times a week. Start strength training with light weights. Lifting too much too fast can cause injury.
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