Better Ways to Lose Weight

The best ways to lose weight allow you to take control of your health and weight. Lose weight safely by implementing a variety of healthy lifestyle changes that shift your food consumption from quantity to quality. First, eat a well-balanced diet. In addition to eating well, help yourself achieve your weight loss goals by burning more calories than you consume. Complete your healthy lifestyle by adding physical activity designed to tone and strengthen your body.

Choose Foods Cooked in a Healthy Manner

Food preparation methods make a difference in your health and calories. Choose healthier cooking methods, known as heart-healthy methods by the American Heart Association. These include poaching, steaming, baking with little oil, broiling, boiling and grilling. When eating out, choose foods cooked by these methods. Request that your food be prepared in one of these ways.

Use Portion Control

Portion control plays a major role in losing weight. Larger serving sizes tie in with increased calorie consumption and expanding waistlines, according to the American Heart Association. Understanding the proper portion sizes of what you eat can help with your weight management. Additionally, track your caloric and consumption daily to understand your dietary habits.

Eat Healthier Foods

Concentrate on eating a healthy diet filled with plant-based foods. Plant-based foods contain less calories than other food types, according to the Mayo Clinic. Plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, qualify as energy density foods. The energy density of a food is determined by the number of calories, or energy amount, per serving, according to the American Heart Association. Energy density foods let you eat a large volume of food with a lower calorie consumption. These foods fill you up and keep you satisfied. Eat a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to receive the proper nutrition, taste and variety needed for weight loss.

Choose Healthier Fast Foods

The typical fast food menu contains high-calorie, high-fat food. When eating at a fast food establishment, make healthy substitutions. Many establishments offer healthier fare to fit in with your healthier lifestyle weight loss goals. Choose sandwiches made with grilled chicken or fish instead of fatty beef sandwiches. Avoid high-fat and calorie-laden bacon on sandwiches. Stop eating sandwiches made with two beef patties or extra meat. When eating salads, ask for an oil and vinegar vinaigrette instead of higher fat dressings. Choose yogurt parfaits instead of ice cream or fried pies. Choose fresh fruit instead of cakes. Ask for condiments on the side and for sandwiches to be prepared without butter or mayonnaise. Instead of an ice cream shake, choose a lower-calorie fruit smoothie. Make a healthy lunch and take it into work instead of rushing to a fast food establishment.

Decrease Your Couch Potato Time

Increasing your physicality level will burn more calories while improving your health in a number of ways. Participating in daily physical activities can help counter obesity and weight issues, according to the American Heart Association. Increased physical activity can also lower blood pressure, serve as a natural appetite suppressant, improve your energy level and reduce your chances of developing a variety of health ailments. Additionally, exercise can improve your self-image, help manage stress and improve your mental outlook. All of these factors play a role in weight loss. Activities can include everyday events such as riding a bike instead of your car to work, parking farther away from the store's entrance, walking your dog, playing tennis singles instead of doubles, rearranging furniture, manually mowing your lawn, landscaping and house painting.

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Article reviewed by SPEstes Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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