A diet, exercise and nutrition program targeted toward weight loss can be used in place of surgery to help you reach your goals. Losing 10 percent of your body weight in six months is an appropriate rate, according to the Obesity Education Initiative. Although diet and exercise require more time and determination to successfully complete, the lasting benefits of natural weight loss can far outweigh those of surgery, including an increased likelihood of keeping the weight off and a decrease in the risk for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to endocrinology specialist and Mayo Clinic professor Dr. Michael Jensen.
Step 1
Modify your diet. Your diet should consist of 55 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 15 percent protein, according to American Diabetes Association editor and licensed registered dietitian Joanne Larsen. Carbohydrates should be from complex, whole grain sources like whole wheat bread and vegetables; fat should be unsaturated; and protein should be from lean sources like chicken and turkey breast.
Step 2
Run. Cardiovascular exercise should be your primary calorie-burning source. Run for an hour, five times a week to lose weight, says the American College of Sports Medicine. Keep your heart rate between 60 and 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, which can be determined by subtracting your age from 220. Once you have this number, multiply it by 60 and 80 percent to find your heart rate range. Use a heart rate monitor to stay consistent throughout your exercise session.
Step 3
Strengthen your muscles. Because muscle tissue needs energy to survive, performing exercises to strengthen your muscles with body weight, dumb bells or barbells will help to increase the amount of calories you burn on a daily basis. Strengthen your muscles three times a week with 48 hours between sessions to allow your body to recover. Perform exercises for each of your major muscle groups for three sets of 15 to 25 repetitions, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. An example of a basic but effective muscle-strengthening routine begins with dumb bell bench presses and bent-over rows, and finishes with squats, shoulder presses, biceps curls and hamstring curls.
Things You'll Need
- Heart rate monitor
References
- Ask the Dietitian: Underweight
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
- National Academy of Sports Medicine: Program Design Concepts
- Obesity Education Initiative: Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweieght and Obese adults
- Mayo Clinic: Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters
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