Fastest Way To Naturally Lose Weight For Free

When you are trying to lose weight, faster isn't better. If you lose weight too quickly, such as on a crash diet, you are likely to gain the weight back. Weight loss supplements are questionable when it comes to effectiveness and safety, notes MayoClinic.com. Because of these facts, natural weight loss at a safe rate is the most effective and safest way to lose weight and improve your health.

Benefits

Losing weight naturally can help you to reduce the risk of obesity related conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, notes that losing as little as five percent of your body weight can reduce your blood cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Once these are reduced, the risk of conditions, such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes are reduced.

Rate

When you are working toward a weight loss goal, you should try to lose one to two pounds per week. If you lose any more than 2 lbs per week, the American Academy of Family Physicians warns that you may lose lean muscle mass or water weight instead of fat. When you lose lean muscle mass, you are hindering your weight loss program because lean muscle mass uses more calories than fat.

Method

To lose weight naturally, you must eat fewer calories than you use each day. For every pound you plan to lose each week, you need a 3,500 calorie deficit for the week. That equals a 500 calorie deficit daily. Keeping a diet and exercise journal and using the Daily Plate tracking system can help you determine if you are meeting this deficit. You can accomplish a calorie deficit by reducing caloric intake while increasing caloric output.

Diet

A healthy diet is the way you reduce your caloric intake. Your diet should be comprised of healthy foods from all of the major food groups. These include milk, vegetables, lean protein and beans, grains, fruits and oils. Your food choices shouldn't include any high calorie foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, USDA, notes that a high calorie food is any food that contains 400 calories or more per serving.

Exercise

To increase your caloric output, you must exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that a person trying to lose weight do moderate intensity exercises for at least 60 to 90 minutes daily. When you exercise, you should work up a sweat. Additionally, your heart rate should increase, but you should be able to carry on a conversation. Fast paced walking, aerobics classes, weight lifting and swimming are some exercises you can try.