Unnatural remedies for weight loss are also unhealthy. When you take dietary aids such as pills and powders, for example, you subject yourself to side effects that may not be life-threatening, but can certainly cause discomfort. According to MayoClinic.com, the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is through lifestyle changes. This involves a completely natural approach that requires at least a moderate amount of discipline.
Eating High-Fiber Foods
Foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains and beans are high in dietary fiber--a substance that is not digested by the body. According to CaloriesperHour.com, fiber makes you feel full sooner, it keeps you feeling full longer and it also moves fat through your digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed. This leads to less calories being consumed and weight being lost. Make sure to include high-fiber foods in your diet.
Cutting Calories
Even though high-fiber foods keep you feeling full, you also need to reduce your daily intake of calories to ensure you are using stored fat for energy. To promote one to two pounds of weight loss a week, reduce your daily intake by 500 to 1,000 calories. If you need help tracking your intake, use an online resource such as The Daily Plate.
Eating Frequent Meals
If you sit down to eat and you're hungry, you run the risk of overeating. If you overeat, you will gain more weight. To prevent this from happening, eat small meals every two to three hours that are balanced with protein and complex carbs. Baked salmon on top of a salad with chopped up vegetables and a whole grain roll is a meal example.
Drinking Water with Meals
To further fill your belly with your meals, drink a glass of water right before you eat. In addition to this, eliminate all the liquid-calorie beverages from your diet. This includes soda, fruit drinks, sweetened teas, slushies, milk shakes, dessert coffees, beer and mixed drinks. Women should get approximately 2.7 liters of water a day and men should get approximately 3.7 liters, according to the Institute of Medicine. By drinking this much water, you will also keep your body hydrated.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, involves moving your body in a repetitive motion for an extended period of time. This type of exercise not only increases aerobic strength, but it also burns calories. When you burn calories, you lose weight. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 60 to 90 minutes of cardio is needed to lose weight. Incorporate any type of cardio into your schedule and perform it four to five days a week. Power walking, swimming, step aerobics, cycling, kickboxing and running are all examples.
During the course of the day, add more physical activity to your regular duties. Take walks during your lunch breaks, walk to the store when possible and use stairs instead of elevators.
Weight Training
Weight training exercises such as bench presses, upright rows, back extensions, triceps extensions, curls and step-ups all build muscle throughout your body. This has an impact on your metabolism, causing it to rise when your body is not in motion. By building muscle, you will burn more overall calories and promote faster weight loss. Do two to three weight training sessions a week.
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