You don't need to spend money on exercise equipment or order fancy programs to lose weight. If you own a pair of sneakers, you can add exercise to your routine. Make small changes to your lifestyle if you want to shed excess weight. Make healthier food choices and work physical activities into your weekly schedule--the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Consult your doctor before beginning any diet or fitness program.
Step 1
Keep track of your calories and choose healthy, all natural foods. Spend a week writing down every bite you eat in a food journal to get an idea of how much you consume. Eat a little less each day. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Eat whole grains, protein and low-fat dairy products. Avoid processed foods, such as frozen dinners. Although frozen meals often are labeled as healthy food choices, they're usually high in sodium and artificial ingredients. Avoid fried foods; white flour products, such as cakes and cookies; and desserts high in fat, calories and sugar.
Step 2
Schedule aerobic exercise three or four days a week. Aerobic exercise elevates your heart rate while burning calories. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, swimming, jogging and bicycling. Play a game of basketball or tennis if you prefer to exercise with a friend. While the AHA suggests 30 minutes a day, work out for 45 to 60 minutes if you have a great deal of excess weight to lose.
Step 3
Perform toning exercises two or three days a week. Include exercises you can do at home using only your body weight. Use dumbbells to increase the resistance if you need a more challenging workout. Use household items if you don't have dumbbells. Turn bottles of water or soup cans into light weights. Target all your major muscles. For example, use squats to focus on your lower body, push-ups to work your chest and sit-ups to target your abdominals. Take advantage of your local library--check out an instructional book or video if you're new to exercise.
Things You'll Need
- Sneakers
- Food journal
- Dumbbells
- Water bottles
- Soup cans
- Exercise mat
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