A diet for weight loss works best when it is accompanied by exercise. You need to burn more calories than you consume to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. Increase your regular physical activity to burn the calories you take in, the American Heart Association recommends. Getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day on most days of the week helps reduce body fat. If you are just starting out, break your exercising into 10-minute sessions throughout the day.
Healthy Foods
A healthy diet for weight loss includes foods high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Add plenty of high-fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains, such as bread, pasta, cereal and rice. Eat fish at least twice a week, and choose lean meats and skinless poultry to lower your intake of saturated fats. Limit your meat intake to less than 6 oz. a day, the Cleveland Clinic suggests. Consume fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Limit or avoid beverages and foods with added sugars.
Calories
Watch how many calories you eat. Adults should get about 25 to 35 percent of total calories from fat, the Cleveland Clinic says. Practice checking labels on food products for fat, calories and other nutrients. Avoiding high-fat foods can aid in weight loss, but even low-fat and fat-free foods contain calories. The body stores excess calories as fat, which can lead to weight gain. Eat low-fat and nonfat foods in moderation.
Exercise Scheduling
Moderate physical activity includes brisk walking, bike riding, running, swimming and even daily chores. You can burn calories and excess fat through housework or yard work, including gardening or landscaping. You should also have a checkup with your doctor if you have been inactive before starting an exercise program. Choosing your favorite activity or sport makes losing weight a lot easier, FamilyDoctor.org says. It will help you stay consistent. Exercising with a friend, spouse or your children makes the endeavor more enjoyable. Varying your routine can relieve boredom. Schedule your exercise to include walking one day, bike riding or swimming another day and dancing, racquetball, tennis or other activity on other days. You can even schedule your housework or yard work for specific days as part of your exercise routine.
Aerobics and Fitness
Aerobic exercise includes walking, running, aerobic dance, bike riding, rowing and swimming. Aerobics make you breathe faster and more deeply to provide more oxygen in your blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. The activity helps the heart and lungs work more efficiently to move oxygen through the body and provide heart-healthy fitness. Fitness and strength training help maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight. You can benefit from these exercises with weight-lifting equipment at a gym or with handheld weights at home. Joining a gym or class may help increase your time at aerobic exercise or fitness training by being with other people for encouragement.
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