Carrying extra pounds can be more than just damaging to your self-esteem. It also puts you at risk for developing serious medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver disease, coronary heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways that you can adjust your lifestyle to quickly shed unwanted pounds.
Step 1
Exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a week. Do exercises that move both your arms and legs, such as skiing, to help burn fat and calories faster. If you do not have time for a 30-minute workout, split it up into three 10-minute sessions.
Step 2
Eat breakfast every day. According to the book "Age Erasers for Women," breakfast can help jump start your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories throughout daily activities. Consider fiber-rich, low-sugar cereals, which are more nutritious than some other breakfast foods.
Step 3
Spread out your daily meals. Instead of eating three large meals, consume five small meals throughout the day. This will help keep insulin and sugar levels stable -- the more insulin in your blood, the more calories and fat you will burn.
Step 4
Add vegetables to every meal. Vegetables will add bulk but few calories and little fat, helping you to feel full and more satisfied.
Step 5
Drink only water after breakfast. Sugary drinks like soda pop and juice contain empty calories that will not fill you up or trigger fullness cues like food.
Step 6
Indulge in a treat once a week. This will keep you from feeling deprived, which can lead to binging or overeating forbidden high-calorie foods.
Tips and Warnings
- Reader's Digest recommends eating 90 percent of your meals from home. If you eat out, you are more likely to consume high-calorie or high-fat foods, especially if the restaurant's nutritional facts are not easily available. Add weight training to your workout. Muscle burns calories faster than fat -- so the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn every day.
- Never skip meals. This not only slows your metabolism, it also promotes overeating when you finally do sit down for a meal. Your body cannot metabolize large amounts of food at once, so the excess food will likely be stored as fat.
Things You'll Need
- High-fiber breakfast foods like cereal
- Vegetables
- Water
- Low-calorie treats
References
- Reader's Digest: Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas
- The Diet Channel: Successful Weight Loss: Top 10 Tips On What Works and Why
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
- "Age Erasers for Women"; Prevention Magazine Health Books; 1997
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