Losing weight comes down to achieving a negative calorie balance. That is, you need to expend more calories than you consume. Creating this deficit can be achieved by increasing physical activity, decreasing caloric intake from foods and beverages, or a combination of both. Losing just 5 lb. can boost your self-esteem and confidence, and can be accomplished in a healthful manner in a relatively short period of time.
Decrease Calories from Food
Choosing foods that are naturally low in calories can help you take in fewer calories and start losing weight. Fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and legumes are filling and nutrient-rich choices. Decreasing the amount of fats added to foods will also help. Limiting portions of mayonnaise, butter, cooking oil and creamy salad dressings can shave hundreds of calories from a meal. Portion control is also essential. Make sure you are only eating as much as you need to be satisfied and no longer hungry, as opposed to eating to fullness at each meal. Try to cut back on "extras," such as low-nutrient snacks and sweets, to reduce calories but still maintain a high nutrient intake.
Exercise
Physical activity can help you increase energy expenditure and lose weight faster. As a bonus, you'll retain more lean tissue and lose more fat if you exercise while dieting than if you diet alone. Don't be fooled into thinking that low-intensity activities are the only ones that burn fat. Research published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" in 2009 showed that maximal fat burning can be achieved over a wide range of intensities, from 60 to 80 percent of maximal heart rate. Aim to exercise at an intensity that challenges you, but still allows you to speak at least a couple words at a time between breaths. This will help gauge whether you are working too hard, or not hard enough.
Non-Exercise Energy Expenditure
While hitting the gym or running around the park can burn a few hundred calories, you can increase your energy expenditure and speed your weight loss even more through additional lifestyle choices. Little things add up, so develop habits like taking the stairs whenever possible instead of an elevator, parking farther away from building entrances and avoiding drive-though services in favor of parking the car and walking inside. Looking for ways to walk a bit farther or to avoid sitting for long periods can have the additional benefit of keeping you energized throughout the day and ward off sleepiness. Combining dietary restraint and a regular exercise routine, plus ample lifestyle activity, you can quickly and painlessly lose 5 lb. in a safe, healthy way.
References
- NIH: The effect of a hypocaloric diet with and without exercise training on body composition, cardiometabolic risk profile, and reproductive function in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome
- NIH: Quantifying differences in the "fat burning" zone and the aerobic zone: implications for training
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