When lowering your body-fat content, slow and steady is the key to maintaining a healthy and long-term change in your body composition. Diet and exercise in combination help you reach your goal more easily than either one alone, in addition to providing greater overall fitness, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Select a mixture of exercise and calorie reduction that allows you to burn 500 more calories per day than you consume. Choose foods and exercises that you enjoy so you are able to accommodate these changes for a lifetime.
Step 1
Eliminate sugary drinks from your diet and drink water instead. Eight to 10 glasses of water per day keep you hydrated and increase your satiety, or feeling of fullness. If water seems too bland by itself, add lemon or cucumber slices for flavor.
Step 2
Plan your meals ahead to ensure you eat a well-balanced diet throughout the day. Aim for 15 to 20 percent of your calories from protein, 30 to 35 percent from healthy fats and 45 to 55 percent from carbohydrates. Planning ahead, especially if you carry healthy snacks with you, also helps prevent sudden cravings that may lead to poor food choices.
Step 3
Consume small meals and snacks frequently throughout the day while maintaining your daily caloric goal. Spreading your calorie intake this way keeps you from getting too hungry at any time and overeating later in the day.
Step 4
Eat several servings of fiber-rich foods each day. Fiber adds bulk to your digestive system and helps with satiety. Foods rich in fiber include ground flaxseed, beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Step 5
Limit your alcohol intake when working to lose body fat. Although some alcoholic drinks, such as red wine, offer health benefits in small doses, alcohol itself contains empty calories.
Step 6
Lift weights to burn calories and lower your body-fat content. Strength training increases your body’s lean muscle mass and, because muscle is a more metabolically active tissue than fat, raises your resting metabolic rate. In addition, lifting weights increases your bone density and helps you look toned and healthy.
Step 7
Incorporate cardio into your fitness routine to give you the extra edge in burning calories. Choose an activity you find enjoyable that elevates your heart rate, and practice it for 30 to 60 minutes at least several times per week.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not deny yourself any particular food group, which may lead to a nutritional deficiency. To avoid feeling deprived and possibly binging, allow yourself an occasional small treat, accounting for its calories in your daily meal plan.
- Check with your health-care practitioner before beginning any diet and exercise program.
Things You'll Need
- Meal plan
- Exercise equipment
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Experts: Energy Balance, Weight Loss a Two-Sided Equation
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Mitchell H. Whaley, Ph.D., FACSM, ed.; 2006
- University of Washington Medicine: Healthy Tips For Easy Weight Loss
- Mayo Clinic: High-fiber Foods
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Alcohol and Diet
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