In 2006, CBS News reported that Americans spend about $36 billion a year on weight-loss plans and products. Although about 50 million people go on a diet each year, only about 5 percent keep the weight off. Many weight-loss programs, according to Colorado State University, offer a quick way to shed pounds, but the process is not always the healthiest. According to the National Institutes of Health, the best way to lose weight is by consuming less, exercising regularly and eating healthy foods.
Step 1
Write down everything you consume, including portion size and calorie information to calculate the average number of calories you typically eat. At the end of the week, add together your totals from every day. Divide that number by the number of days you kept track of. The answer will be your average number of calories per day.
Step 2
Create a deficit of 500 calories, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Eat 500 fewer calories every day by keeping track of everything you eat. Include beverages, snacks and especially condiments. In a 2009 CBS News article, dietitian Keri Glassman revealed that you could eat hundreds of calories in condiments in just one day.
Step 3
Burn 500 calories each day with cardio exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines indicates that you need at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio five days a week, or 20 minutes of intense cardio three days week. By burning 500 calories---in addition to the 500 fewer calories you're eating---you can shed two pounds a week. The American Heart Association recommends adding an active-play video game to your weight-loss regimen.
In a 2010 study presented by the American College of Sports Medicine, sedentary senior citizens who played Nintendo Wii bowling and baseball burned up to 176 calories. Although you shouldn't replace regular exercise with active video games, reports the American Heart Association, they can get your heart beating and help you drop a few pounds. Russell Pate of the University of South Carolina School of Public Health explains that kids who play active video games use up enough energy to possibly prevent obesity.
Tips and Warnings
- Examples of cardio exercise include anything that gets your heart beating, including fast walking, jogging, swimming and jumping rope. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. To lose one pound, you need to eat 500 fewer calories each day for a week.
- If you lose more than two pounds a week, according to the Mayo Clinic, you might be losing lean muscle mass instead of fat. Before starting a new diet and exercise regimen, talk to your doctor.
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