Weight loss can be discouraging. When it seems that weight loss is as easy as television commercials make it seem but you're not losing weight, it's easy to become frustrated and fall off the wagon. What those commercials don't tell you is that those telling their before-and-after stories took months of hard work, exercise and dieting to achieve those bodies. By making your commitment to lose weight in a safe, healthy way, you can become an "after" photo, too.
Talk to Your Doctor
Before you seriously commit yourself to losing weight, make an appointment with your doctor, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases instructs. Your doctor will need to ensure that you're healthy enough for physical activity and will be able to suggest tips and techniques to help you lose weight. Talking to your doctor also serves as a way to kick off your weight loss the right way, without fad diets or diet products. It marks the beginning of your weight-loss journey, so you become accountable to someone for your weight-loss program.
No Fad Diets
While the commercials for the latest diet pill or a book on a fad diet may seem tempting, try to stay away from short-term weight-loss solutions. No matter what the manufacturer's promise, cutting out entire food groups or eating an impossibly-low-calorie diet may help you lose weight quickly, but you'll likely gain all that weight back once you return to eating normally. Recognize that weight-loss success comes from true changes to your lifestyle, not two-week fast fixes.
Eat Consciously
Eating without thinking about your food could be one of your biggest downfalls while you're trying to lose weight. It's easy to overeat while mindlessly picking through a bag of chips in front of the television or while driving in your car. In fact, study results published in a 2007 issue of "Proceedings of the Nutrition Society" found that individuals who ate in front of the television increased their caloric intake up to 71 percent. By taking the time to think about your food and what you're putting into your body, you'll begin making better, conscious decisions about your diet. Prepare meals and eat with your family. Chew your food slowly and measure your portions beforehand to avoid overeating.
Get Active
The journey to weight loss begins with one step. While your diet plays a large role in your weight-loss success, you need to move your body to burn calories. An exercise regimen can seem daunting, so start with something simple: walking. Personal trainer Chris Powell tells ABC News that when you lead a sedentary lifestyle --- sitting in a cubicle for 40 hours a week, for example --- it's important that you work some physical activity into your day. Walking is easy, free and can be done according to your level of fitness. Get your body moving and you'll be surprised at your weight-loss success.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Choosing a Safe and Effective Weight Loss Program
- "Proceedings of the Nutrition Society"; Cues to Overeat: Psychological Factors Influencing Overconsumption; Marion M. Hetherington; 2007
- ABC News: 5 Tips for a Successful Weight Loss Journey
Member Comments