How To Lose Weight & Keep It Off?

Carrying around extra weight increases your risks for various health problems that range from diabetes and arthritis to heart disease and even some forms of cancer. The key to reducing these risks is weight loss -- not just a temporary reduction of weight, but you must keep it off the rest of your life. Keeping weight off is not an easy task, but it can be done.

Step 1

Change your overall mind set, not just your daily habits. Not changing your mindset can lead to returning to old habits once the weight is gone. Avoid approaching a diet and exercise routine as only a quick way to lose pounds. Instead, choose meal plans and exercise routines that focus on creating an achievable lifelong lifestyle change to improve the overall quality of your life.

Step 2

Choose a healthy eating plan that you can stay with for the rest of your life. Focus on including healthier foods in smaller portion sizes that both cut calories and keep your body satiated to avoid the feelings of starvation that lead to binge eating. Avoid fad or crash diets, especially those that remove major food groups or cut your calories intake below 1,000 daily calories. Focus instead on swapping high-calorie foods with low-calorie options.

Step 3

Learn to love fruits and vegetables. They are high in fiber and full of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to operate efficiently. Expand your choices by experimenting with a new vegetable or fruit each week in your grocery store. Eating a variety of healthy foods can help reduce the boredom that can come with eating the same foods over a long period.

Step 4

Develop exercise into a continuing habit by consistently making exercise part of your routine each and every week. Strive for 150 to 300 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise each week. Split your exercise times into two or three segments throughout the day if getting 30 to 60 minutes of exercise at one time does not fit into your schedule.

Step 5

Find ways to include more calorie-burning exercise into your regular activities outside the gym. Make it a goal to take the stairs instead of an elevator when you can. Park away from the front doors of stores or your workplace to increase your daily walking distance. Consider biking or walking instead of using a car whenever you can. Find activities that are both fun and active, such as hiking and swimming, or join a local sports league. Make these changes a permanent part of your life, not just a temporary solution for weight loss.