Healthy, moderate eating and exercise can go a long way in helping you to accomplish your weight-loss goals. Most fad diets are not effective. Certain sensible tips and strategies can better help you take off the pounds.
Drink Water
Drink plenty of water when you're dieting. It can give you a feeling of fullness that can stave off hunger. According to the Mayo Clinic, water also helps to flush away toxins from your organs and to deliver nutrients to your cells.
Fool Yourself With Small Plates
Much of our food consumption is controlled by visual cues. Reasonable portions on small plates and bowls can help trick our brains into believing we are getting more, while small portions on large plates may leave us feeling deprived.
Shave Off Calories
Just about any meal presents an opportunity to consume fewer calories if you look for ways to shave them off. Use lemon juice on your salad instead of dressing, order plain water instead of fattening drinks, and remove all visible fat from your steak. Shaving off calories a few at a time adds up in the long run.
Slow and Steady Does It
Desperate attempts to lose weight quickly through fasting or fad diets can backfire. According to the American Dietetic Association, healthy weight loss should not exceed one pound per week. Shedding weight too quickly makes it more likely that you will regain it, and the restrictive eating plans demanded by fad diets can lead to frustration and abandonment of your attempt to lose weight.
Step on that Scale
A 2006 study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that college students who were instructed to weigh themselves daily gained less weight than a control group. It's not necessary for the scale to register a daily weight loss, since that will fluctuate. But monitoring weight daily can be a big motivator.
Try Hot Soup
Try hot soup before a meal. It takes a little while to eat, giving the brain adequate time to receive satiety signals from the digestive tract. Then you'll feel fuller before embarking on the main course. Of course, the kind of soup you consume is important. Choose clear broths over soups with cream or cheese in them.
Avoid Empty Calories
Stick with nutritious foods when you are trying to lose weight. Avoid foods heavy in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars. You will not be able to get adequate nutrition if your reduced calorie allotment is weighted towards junk food.
Add In Exercise
When the amount of calories consumed exceeds the amount of energy expended, weight gain results. That doesn't mean you have to do high-intensity workouts in a gym if you aren't inclined that way. You can also burn calories with any activity you love. Try gardening, dancing or brisk walks with a friend.
Know Your Triggers
Hunger is often way down on the list of the reasons we overeat. Notice your emotions before opening the refrigerator. We often eat too much when we are bored, stressed, lonely or angry. Dealing with emotions in more appropriate ways can help the pounds come off quicker.
Consult Your Doctor
Prescription weight-loss drugs are not for everyone, but if you have trouble taking off pounds, it can be worth discussing them with your doctor. Some work by suppressing your appetite, others by reducing the body's ability to absorb fat. No easy fix, they are usually combined with exercise and diet programs under a doctor's supervision.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Water: How Much Should You Drink Every Day?
- American Dietetic Association: It's About Eating Right
- "International Journal of Obesity"; Monitoring Weight Daily Blocks the Freshman Weight Gain; D. Levitsky et al; June 2006.
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