According to MedlinePlus, a website for the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, overweight individuals account for about 66 percent of the adult population in the United States. Many overweight individuals must work hard to lose excess pounds. While fad diets and fasting may quickly reduce the numbers on your scale, healthy weight loss requires permanent dietary changes. Healthy eating habits can help you lose weight quickly and effectively without compromising your health.
Fat
Your body stores energy in the form of fat. To lose weight, you must burn your stored fat. Although many dieters want to lose weight as quickly as possible, very rapid weight loss may signal the loss of more than just fat. Losing more than a pound or two each week may mean that you are losing lean tissue or water weight instead.
Caloric Considerations
A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories. The MayoClinic.com advises that you must burn about 500 more calories than you consume each day to lose a pound a week. Likewise, losing two pounds each week means eating about 1,000 fewer calories each day. This general rule of thumb allows you to determine the approximate number of calories you can consume every day.
Exercise
While reducing your caloric intake may help you lose weight, increasing the rate at which you burn calories can also help you shed unwanted weight. Physical activities can boost your metabolism, the rate at which your body burns calories. Walking, bicycling, swimming and jogging are all activities that can help you burn calories, leading to quicker weight loss. These activities may also keep your mind off of eating.
Staying Healthy
In order to stay healthy while dieting, you may need to change some habits. Substitute healthy choices for junk food. For instance, eat fresh fruit in place of candy bars or donuts. Choose products that contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein without adding excess calories. Eating meals made with low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meats rather than high-fat items can help you lose weight.
Keeping the Weight Off
Although losing the weight may seem daunting, keeping it off may pose an even bigger challenge. Losing weight and avoiding recurrent weight gains requires lifestyle changes. Successful weight loss depends on a variety of elements, such as eating habits, motivation and outside support. To ensure your continued weight loss success, make exercise part of your daily routine and surround yourself with nutritious food choices and caring friends who encourage your new lifestyle.
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