Diets that urge you to skip meals or eliminate nutritious foods are bad news if you really want to lose weight. A healthy diet and exercise are the only proven ways to lose weight and keep it off. However, keep in mind that healthy eating is not a diet plan that ends at some arbitrary point. It's a permanent lifestyle change that should focus on foods you enjoy, just with reduced calories and fat.
Breakfast
Many people who are trying to lose weight start the day by skipping breakfast. That this is exactly the wrong thing to do. When you eat a healthy breakfast, you provide your body with the nutrition it needs, avoid low blood sugar and reduce hunger later on. In addition, prolonged fasting raises insulin activity. This causes your body to store fat and increases the risk of obesity. Instead of skipping breakfast, start the day with whole grains, fruit or vegetables and low fat dairy products. For protein, include low-fat foods like hard-boiled eggs, chicken or fish.
Healthy Diets
Follow a diet based on the United States Department of Agriculture's food pyramid. The pyramid includes all six food groups along with recommended quantities. If you're more comfortable with a diet plan as a guide, try one like the Mediterranean diet or Mayo Clinic Plan that is based on the pyramid. For example, the Mayo Clinic plan adapts the pyramid for weight loss by moderately restricting carbohydrates and allowing unlimited servings of fruit and vegetables. The point is to eat a healthy diet so your body has proper nutrition.
Empty Calories
Americans consume an amazing amount of empty calories. The term refers to foods and drinks that provide little nutrition but lots of calories. For example, you can substitute water or pure fruit juice for sugared sodas. Choose fresh fruit instead of canned fruit packed in syrup. Another way to cut empty calories is to limit or even eliminate refined sugar from your diet in favor of natural sweeteners like honey.
Exercise
Trying to lose weight without a regular program of exercise is really an uphill battle. You should get at least 2-1/2 hours of exercise per week that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for a sustained period of time. An exercise program may include running, swimming or other aerobic activities like cycling. Or you can start burning more calories just with a brisk walk and even activities like yard work or gardening. If you haven't been exercising, start slowly and build up gradually as your physical condition improves. You'll not only burn calories; you will improve your level of physical fitness and reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and other health problems.
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