Being overweight is not just a matter of how you look, or what size jeans you wear. According to the obesity information page on the American Heart Association's website, "Even when there are no adverse effects on the known risk factors, obesity by itself increases risk of heart disease." Losing weight permanently takes commitment and hard work, but the rewards and benefits are lifelong.
Step 1
Ensure that you're ready to lose the weight and keep it off. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you resolve any issues you have regarding food or eating disorders. Be sure that you are ready to commit to making the necessary long-term changes involving food choices, lifestyle and exercise before beginning a diet plan. Losing the weight is not the end goal, so a diet alone will most likely fail.
Step 2
Take it slow. Long-term weight loss of more 1 or 2 lbs. per week is not healthy, though you may lose more than that when you first begin a new plan. Losing weight slowly gives your body time to adjust, can help prevent sagging skin and allows you to get used to the changes in how you look and feel.
Step 3
Set a realistic end goal. Our bodies change in ways other than just adding or losing fat. Getting back into your high school jeans may not be possible after carrying and giving birth to four kids. Depending on what exercise or activity you adopt, you may also build muscle in places it never existed before. Setting a goal based on your body mass index will give you a better idea of a reasonable end weight.
Step 4
Learn while you lose. Take advantage of the nutrition information that is available in print and online. The more you understand the different kinds of food and how they affect your body, the more confident you will feel in making healthy choices.
Step 5
Get support. Whether you join a weight-loss program that offers individual or group counseling or you enlist family and friends, having people to support you during the weight-loss process is crucial.
Step 6
Make exercise a part of your life. Not everyone likes, can afford or realistically has time to go to the gym, but there are many ways to get more active in your daily life. An evening walk, an hour dancing to the radio--even standing to fold laundry instead of sitting--can help burn calories.
Step 7
Don't give up. Changing habits is hard, and you will occasionally make an unwise decision or hit a plateau. Instead of looking at how far you still have to go, look at how far you have come and keep building on that success.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a food journal. Seeing your daily intake in writing is a way to track patterns such as stress eating or PMS cravings.
- Never rely on diet pills to do the work for you. They are a short-term fix and can cause severe health problems.
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