Take a bowl of willpower, add some vegetables and seasonings and place them in a pan of positivity. Saute lightly in 2 tbsp. of olive oil until slightly crisp and serve with a fillet of salmon. Enjoy with a glass of lemon water, and for dessert, tickle your taste buds with a 4 oz. serving of fat-free yogurt topped with a handful of almonds, no salt added.
This is the ultimate recipe for weight loss, but it is not one everyone can follow from the start. The recipe for weight loss includes more than cooking recipes; it is a recipe of lifestyle changes you must make for long-term success.
Step 1
Replace old habits with new healthy habits. Dr. Phil McGraw of Dr.Phil.com explains that unless you replace old eating habits with new healthy habits, weight loss will evade you, and you will fall back into your old ways. If you make the decision to stop eating potato chips for a snack, have fruit or vegetables readily available to take their place. Unless you do this, you will be running to the nearest store or snack machine when hunger strikes.
Step 2
Set reasonable goals. To be successful you must set reasonable, realistic goals. If you expect to lose 20 lbs. in two weeks, you will become discouraged when this doesn't occur. The Diet Channel says you should strive for a weight loss of no more than 1 to 2 lbs. per week. If you happen to lose more, great. If not, you won't lose the motivation to continue.
Step 3
Eat breakfast every morning. HelpGuide.org explains that eating breakfast every day lights your metabolism with fuel that is your body's early-day energy source. This fuel also is necessary to burn fat and calories. In addition, eating breakfast helps ward off food cravings the rest of the day.
Step 4
Eat small meals frequently throughout the day. Eating five to six times a day keeps your metabolism running and keeps your hunger and cravings at bay. The portions should be smaller; breakfast may be two to three egg whites with a piece of whole wheat toast, while your snack two to three hours later may be low-fat yogurt topped with a handful of salt-free nuts. The key is a whole grain or healthy fat carbohydrate in combination with protein.
Step 5
Drink plenty of water, an essential part of weight loss. Not only does it help keep you feeling full in between meals, but it also helps flush your body of toxins. HelpGuide.org adds that replacing one soda a day with one glass of water eliminates as much as 150 calories and 10 to 12 tsp. of sugar from your diet. Depending on how many sodas you normally drink per day, this can add up.
Step 6
Begin exercising every day or most days of the week. As TheDietChannel points out, exercising is one of the most important predictors of your long-term weight loss success. The site recommends five 30-minute sessions per week. Choose an activity you like so you will be more apt to stay with it.
Step 7
Begin a weight-training routine. Weight loss and weight training go hand-in-hand. If you lose weight without building muscle, you will lose muscle, and muscle is vital for a healthy metabolism. TheDietChannel says women using weight training exercises lost 44 percent more fat than those who only dieted. To find the right weight training plan for you, visit the website in the Resources section below or visit your local gym.
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