Some people struggle with excess weight all their lives, while others find it a problem only around the holidays. Sometimes, weight gain may occur because of pregnancy or menopause. Whatever your case may be, the common factor is usually the urgency with which you want the weight to come off. To lose weight in a healthy manner, however, you must be willing to accept that it is not going to happen overnight, and you must commit yourself to lifelong changes to be successful.
Step 1
Set your goals before setting out on your weight loss journey. To be successful in the long-term, you should aim to lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week. To lose this amount, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more per week than you consume. You can increase the amount you lose each week by making more significant dietary and lifestyle changes, however, losing weight too quickly can result in fatigue and a loss of muscle rather than fat.
Step 2
Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat in a food diary. Note when you eat and why. This can help you realize how much you eat in a day and also make you aware of mindless eating and the foods that trigger your eating. Your diary, over time, may help you make the dietary changes necessary to lose weight.
Step 3
Eat your breakfast every morning. Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. It fuels the body after a long night's rest, giving you enough energy to get through the day. It also jump starts your metabolism, a key element in weight loss.
Step 4
Eat five to six times a day. The body needs food every three hours. This not only prevents hunger from occurring, it also keeps your metabolism running thereby allowing your body to burn fat and calories.
Step 5
Drink eight to 10 glasses of water per day. Increasing your water intake serves two purposes. It helps increase your feeling of being full, preventing unnecessary snacking on high-sugar snacks. When you are not drinking enough water, your kidneys hold onto the water they contain to prevent dehydration. This results in water-weight. When you increase your water intake, you flush your kidneys of the water it is retaining.
Step 6
Fool yourself with portion sizes. Cutting back on your portion sizes makes a big difference in the long run. An easy way to do this is to use a smaller plate when eating. This fools your body into thinking it is eating the same amount as before though in actuality you are eating less.
Step 7
Become more physically active. You can cut calories and portion sizes all you want, but this is not going to make the difference you are looking for unless you exercise, too. Taking a brisk walk for 45 to 60 minutes, four times a week can double your weight loss. In addition, the more you exercise the higher your metabolism soars. Simply put, when you exercise, your calorie burn lasts long after you stop exercising.
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