You may keep telling yourself, "Next week, I'm going on a diet," but it never feels like the right time. If you feel like you're constantly too busy to begin your diet, stop procrastinating and start today. Weight loss is most effective when paired with an exercise regimen, states the Mayo Clinic. Instead of depriving yourself from the foods you love, use diet and exercise as tools to lose weight in a sustainable way. This way, instead of dieting for one month, then gaining all the weight back, you will maintain active weight loss with a healthy diet and regular exercise. You may not lose any weight today, but it is the day you begin your new life, striving for a better, healthier weight.
Step 1
Toss out all sugary foods, foods high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates. Donate these items to a food drive or give them away to a shelter rather than throw them away, if possible. Keeping these items out of the house will jump-start your diet and prevent you from being tempted to stray from it.
Step 2
Stock your refrigerator with healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables; lean proteins such as ground turkey, black beans, chickpeas, low-fat cheese and skinless chicken breast; and whole grains such as bran and oatmeal. Eat a balance of these foods at every meal, cooking with olive oil or non-fat cooking spray instead of butter or vegetable oil.
Step 3
Stay in your target heart rate while exercising. Any exercise is beneficial, but the most beneficial exercise occurs when your body is in its target heart rate. Do the talk test to determine whether you have reached your target heart rate. According to a 2004 study by the American College of Sports Medicine, if you can comfortably carry on a conversation while you are exercising, work harder. You have reached your target heart rate when you cannot say more than a few words at a time while exercising.
Step 4
Include your family in the new weight-loss challenge. Having your entire family eat healthier will provide you with a support squad. If no one around you is eating junk food, it will be easier for you to maintain your new healthy lifestyle.
Step 5
Avoid denying yourself food or starving yourself. Highly restrictive diet plans are unsustainable, and you will gain the weight back immediately after stopping the diet. Instead, make wise choices about the foods you do eat. Avoid foods high in saturated fat, and if you crave something sweet, eat it occasionally in small quantities.
Tips and Warnings
- Eating whole grains such as oatmeal and bran can help lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.
- If you have health problems, contact your doctor before beginning any type of diet.
Things You'll Need
- Ground turkey
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Low-fat cheese
- Skinless chicken breast
- Bran
- Oatmeal
- Olive oil
- Non-fat cooking spray
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