While exercise is an important facet to weight control, it isn't always necessary for weight loss. One of the most effective ways of losing excess weight involves dietary changes, explains Dr. Donald Hensrud, a preventive medicine specialist with the Mayo Clinic. If for some reason you're unable to exercise, you can still shrink your waist size by eating fewer calories each day.
Step 1
Add healthier foods to your diet. Instead of restricting what you eat, try adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet. By adding these healthy options to your meals, you can often fill up faster for fewer calories, helping create the caloric deficit needed to shed pounds. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a single pound of fat. If you're able to rack up a deficit of 500 calories a day, you can expect to lose 1 lb. a week.
Step 2
Opt for low-fat versions of your favorite foods. Lean cuts of meat, white rather than dark poultry, skim milk and low-fat cheeses all are relatively low in fat. The fewer grams of fat found in a food item, the lower the calories, which reduces your caloric intake and help create the aforementioned deficit in calories.
Step 3
Drink water before sitting down for meals. Doing this can actually reduce your hunger and cause you to eat a little less. Eating less food often equates to fewer calories consumed. Better yet, stick to water throughout the day. Sugar-sweetened beverages can increase your caloric intake without you ever knowing it.
Step 4
Share your dessert. Just because you're trying to lose weight doesn't mean there isn't room for those little indulgences. But to ensure you don't sabotage your weight-loss goals, share your treat with someone you love.
Step 5
Start using a smaller plate at mealtime. You'll be surprised how a bunch of food on a small plate feels like you're eating more than the same size portion on a large plate.
Step 6
Reserve eating for the dinner table. It's easy to mindlessly eat while watching TV, so resist the temptation and reserve food consumption for the dinner table. Plus, you tend to eat more if you're not cognizant of what you're eating.
Step 7
Find a hobby that busies your hands and your mind. For some people, boredom can trigger cravings. Think of things you can do to keep yourself busy and still have fun, such as reading, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, board games and other activities of your choosing.
Step 8
Never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Eating breakfast can rev-up your metabolism as well as prevent overeating later in the day.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're still mobile, consider increasing your level of physical activity to burn off those calories you can't cut from your diet. Raking leaves, mowing the lawn, shoveling the walk or simply pulling weeds can expend energy, which increase the calories your body burns and helps encourage weight loss. Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet.
Member Comments