It is difficult to turn on the television or the radio without enduring an advertisement for a weight loss supplement. Advertisers have a large target market--34 percent of adults in the United States are considered obese--and rely on desperation to sell weight loss pills, diet plans and other expensive items. Fortunately, you can use simple, no-cost strategies to lose weight without spending a small fortune on diet supplements.
Exercise
Aside from cutting calories, exercise is one of the most efficient strategies for shedding unwanted pounds. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical exercise is a vital part of any weight loss regimen. High-impact aerobic exercise and backpacking can both burn as many as 763 calories per hour, while rollerblading for one hour can burn almost 1,400 calories. Jogging, which requires no equipment at all, burns up to 872 calories per hour.
Drink Water
Drinking water can have a significant impact on weight loss, according to the Calories Per Hour website. Drink plenty of water with each meal or snack--this helps you feel full more quickly, so you limit food portions. This may not work if you drink water without eating, though, because the stomach needs bulk to feel full.
Avoid Alcohol and Soda
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks can easily wreck any weight loss plan. Because they are beverages instead of food, people tend to forget how many empty calories they can contain.
For example, a shot of whiskey can contain 70 to 120 calories, and a typical 12-oz. beer packs about 140 calories, notes the Calorie Counter website. Likewise, a non-diet 12-oz. soft drink typically contains between 80 and 155 calories. Just two whiskey-and-soda cocktails per day can add an extra 550 calories to your daily intake. Eliminating these beverages can go a long way toward helping you achieve your weight loss goals.
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