When you decide to lose weight, the first thing you will have to do is find a good diet that can help you lose weight as fast as is safely possible. The diet you choose should be one that you can follow for the rest of your life, because once you lose the weight, you will have to continue eating healthy foods to keep the weight off.
Time Frame
A really good diet will help you lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week. If the diet promises that you will lose more than that, it isn't a healthy diet. FamilyDoctor.org states that losing more than 2 lbs. per week makes you more likely to regain what you lost. You will also lose water weight and muscle weight instead of fat weight.
Identification
A really good diet encompasses both healthy eating and exercise. A healthy diet is a diet that is based on the food pyramid. It includes eating fruits, grains, lean protein, vegetables, milk and oils. The diet should emphasize portion control and mindful eating. The exercise portion of the program should be based on the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendation of moderate level activity for 60 to 90 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week. Walking, swimming and weight lifting are suitable exercises.
Benefits
When you eat a good diet and lose weight, you will reap several health benefits. Your blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels will likely stabilize. You will notice that you have more energy and you will likely have more self-esteem, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Considerations
Many weight loss programs today are based on using weight loss pills. Most of these pills, however, aren't approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and many are dangerous, states MayoClinic.com. Some of these pills may interact with herbal supplements, prescription medications and health conditions.
Warning
There are some diets that exclude one or more of the six food groups. These are considered fad diets. The American Heart Association states that fad diets are unhealthy and may cause physical discomfort. Another problem with fad diets is that they can't be followed long-term, which means that you will likely gain the weight back once you begin to follow a normal diet again. If you feel that you must follow a diet that excludes or severely restricts one or more of the food groups, contact your doctor to determine if the plan is suitable for your needs.
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