Non-surgical Multidisciplinary Weight Loss Program

Over two thirds of adult Americans are overweight or obese according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Because excess body weight increases your risk of disease, weight loss has become the focus of many health and fitness programs. Reducing your body weight by a 5 percent can improve your health and body function. A combination of dietary changes and exercise has been shown to provide the most sustainable results.

Features

A non-surgical approach to weight loss will combine diet and exercise to reduce body weight. You need to create a caloric deficit by burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis. Small changes can create a big difference in your life. Before beginning any weight loss program it is recommended that you see your physician and speak to them about your plans. They may have suggestions or limitations for your diet and activity based on your health.

Cardiovascular Exercise

You want to accumulate a total of 240 to 425 minutes of exercise per week to promote weight loss. Of this the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you perform aerobic activity 3 to 5 days per week for 30 to 60 minutes. If you are a beginner or have not exercised in a while start slowly and aim for 20 minutes every other day. Gradually increase your duration until you are in the target range and keep your intensity moderate to high.

Resistance Training

Resistance training is recommended as a part of any weight loss program. It will not only burn calories during the session but increase your metabolism, overall strength and muscle tone. Perform resistance exercise 2 to 3 days per week on non-consecutive days to allow muscle recovery. For most people one set of 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise is adequate. Do one exercise for each major muscle group and choose a weight that is challenging but you are able to maintain proper technique.

Diet

Do not cut calories too excessively. Nancy Clark, MS, RD recommends decreasing your calories by 10 to 20 percent to promote weight loss without decreasing your metabolism. Eat every 2 to 3 hours to keep your blood sugar level and to prevent over-eating. Choose a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and lean sources of protein. Decrease the amount of processed and sugar- or fat-laden foods that you consume. Also drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day.

Considerations

Your age, gender and health status will all affect how quickly you lose weight. In general men tend to lose weight more quickly than women and have lower body fat percentages due to testosterone. Also, as you age your metabolism naturally slows down and lean body mass decreases making it more challenging to achieve weight loss. Chronic health conditions or diseases can limit the foods you can eat or exercise that you can perform. It is also a stress on the body so weight loss may be slower.