If you're sick of being insecure about your body and feeling out of shape, you may be tempted to lose weight with a program that vows to help you achieve fast weight loss. However, the best way to successfully lose weight and then stay within a healthy weight range is to make permanent lifestyle changes, the Mayo Clinic advises. Supplementing a well-balanced and low-calorie diet with physical activity will ensure that you stay healthy as you ditch some pounds. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise regimen.
Setting Realistic Goals
An effective exercise plan for weight loss involves writing down goals. You will increase your chances of sticking to your plan if you use a weight-loss journal to mark down short- and long-term goals. Make your goals specific, achievable and measurable, the Mayo Clinic recommends. For example, a short-term goal may be to bike for 30 minutes five days per week, and your outcome goal might be to lose 10 pounds by March.
Your Calorie Expenditure
Calculate how many calories you will need to burn to reach your goal. Since 1 lb. is approximately 3,500 calories, you might aim to burn off 500 calories through exercise each day to lose 4 lbs. per month. You could burn off about 511 calories by doing high-impact aerobics, backpacking, playing racquetball or cross-country skiing for an hour if you weigh 160 lbs., the Mayo Clinic calculates. If this seems like more work than you can manage, you would only need to do about half as much if you committed to eating 250 fewer calories per day.
Frequency and Type
Aerobic exercise, which involves continuously moving a large muscle group, causes your heart rate to increase and your breathing rate to become deeper and faster. You should get at least 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise every week in sessions of at least 10 minutes, according to the MedlinePlus online medical resource. However, you may need to do as much as 60 minutes of exercise per day to get your desired weight-loss results. Supplement aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening exercises such as push-ups and weightlifting. Commit to working all major muscle groups at least two days per week.
Tips for Being More Active
You won't need to focus as diligently on hitting the gym each day if you find ways to live a more active lifestyle. You can naturally burn calories without feeling forced to exercise. For example, play softball in a community league, shimmy to music as you do household chores and take your family on active outings such as ice skating and walking around the zoo. Other ways to incorporate more exercise in your life are to bike to work and park on the far end of store parking lots.
Considerations
Because permanent habit changes can be difficult to make, be sure your mind is ready to begin the journey to healthier living. Being unemployed, having relationship problems and feeling external pressures to lose weight are just a few examples of issues that can stand in the way of your success, the Mayo Clinic explains. Talk to a licensed counselor to work through life struggles if stress continues to threaten your health.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Weight Loss -- Six Strategies for Success
- MedlinePlus: Tips for Losing Weight
- MedlinePlus: Weight Control
- MedlinePlus: Exercise and Weight Loss
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss -- Calories Burned in One Hour
- President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition: Exercise and Weight Control
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