If you have ever browsed the shelves of your local bookstore, you may have noticed the abundance of diet and weight-loss books. The Internet, too, is ripe with websites that can help you lose weight. After looking over all the plans, you may like certain parts of one and other parts of a different plan. Put together your own diet based on healthy eating and exercise to create a custom plan that works for you.
Step 1
List your reasons and goals for losing weight in a journal. Include how many pounds you want to lose, the clothing size you want to wear and any additional weight-loss goals you have. These goals could range from climbing the stairs easily to hiking part of the Appalachian Trail. Break your goals into long- and short-term categories, the Mayo Clinic recommends.
Step 2
Use the Internet to research diet plans. Consider your personality and what has worked for you in the past. If you want to eat a balanced, low-fat diet, choose a plan that recommends tracking your fat calories or percentages. Choose a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet if you want to lose weight while limiting your carbohydrate intake. Select a calorie-based plan if you enjoy journaling on a daily basis.
Combine parts of the plans that appeal to you. You may decide to eat a low-fat diet and count calories rather than fat grams, or you may decide to follow a calorie-based plan and begin a vegetarian lifestyle at the same time. Design your own plan based on your research.
Step 3
Collect recipes and write down your menus for the week. Use low-calorie recipes. But if you're a woman, plan on at least 1,200 calories a day, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health. If you're a man, plan on at least 1,500 calories. Plan diet menus that give you balanced nutrition, based on your desired method of weight loss. Include three meals a day, plus one or two snacks.
Step 4
Review your menus for the week. Make calorie and ingredient substitutions based on the plan you have developed. If you are following a high-protein diet and want soup for dinner, make a beef stew instead of a vegetable stew. For low-calorie plans, substitute lower calorie products for high-calorie ones, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Follow your vegetarian diet plan by using soy protein in place of meats. Save calories and fat by substituting skim milk for whole, broths for oils and salads in place of high-calorie sandwiches.
Step 5
Include exercise in your diet plan. HelpGuide.org says exercise helps you lose weight, gives you energy and relieves stress. When you exercise, you may feel motivated to eat well throughout the day. Research activities that appeal to you. If you like to groups, sign up for a fitness class. If working out at home appeals to you, use an exercise DVD at least three times a week.
Step 6
Develop an accountability system. Weighing yourself regularly to assess your progress is one of the successful strategies found in research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. In 2009, Jeffrey J. VanWormer studied whether those who weighed themselves regularly lost more weight than those who did not. He found that those who self-weighed weekly were 11 times more likely to lose a minimum of 5 percent of their body weight. Develop a chart to track your weight loss.
Tips and Warnings
- Regularly assess whether your plan is effective. Eat foods from all the food groups to ensure maximum nutrition. Do not skip breakfast when dieting.
- Consult with your doctor before beginning a weight-loss program. Avoid fad diets or diet supplements.
Things You'll Need
- Journal
- Recipes
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