Fad diets promise quick and easy weight loss, but the fact remains that a sensible diet and regular exercise are the only healthy ways to permanently lose weight. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you can expect the process to take some time. However, if you make positive changes, you can begin losing weight immediately. The longer you maintain healthy dietary and exercise habits, the more weight you can lose.
Step 1
Focus on your diet. Cutting 500 calories each day will result in losing one pound a week. Eat a good balance of protein, good carbohydrates and a minimal amount of fat. Avoid or limit fried foods, sugar, soda and refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta.
Step 2
Drink more water. Not only will drinking more water help you feel more full and reduce bloating from sodium, one study suggests that water itself may help you burn more calories. In a small study led by Jens Jordan at the Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center in Berlin, Germany, researchers discovered that drinking two liters of water per day led to greater weight loss.
Step 3
Exercise regularly. While health guidelines say you need 20 minutes of exercise three times a week, this is not sufficient if you want to lose weight. MayoClinic.com recommends getting 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Get a good balance of both aerobic exercise and strength training.
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