Losing substantial weight is not an easy task. It takes hard work, dedication and a desire to get healthy. Someone who wants to lose weight and keep it off has to make lifestyle changes, which means no crash dieting. Choose healthy ways to lose weight by incorporating healthy eating and exercise into your life everyday. Reward yourself when you reach certain milestones. For example, get a manicure after you lose five pounds and buy yourself a new outfit after ten pounds.
Step 1
Purchase a notebook that will fit into your purse or pocket and take it with you everywhere you go. Make note of everything that you eat for two days and then figure out how many calories you're taking in on a regular basis. Use a calorie counter like the one found on the American Cancer Society's website to figure out how many calories you should be consuming to lose weight.
Step 2
Learn how to cook healthy meals for yourself. There are plenty of websites that offer free healthy recipes that include the nutrition information for each meal. Try two new healthy recipes each week for two months. Keep the ones that you love and toss the ones that you don't. Continue to add healthy recipes to your cooking.
Step 3
Start adding fish, especially wild Salmon, into your diet. It's healthy and low in calories. Try eating a fish dish for dinner at least once a week. Add a portion of rice and veggies for a well-balanced meal.
Step 4
Eat at home. Stop eating out, especially at fast food restaurants. If you do eat out for a special occasion or a business lunch, choose healthy options. If you order an entrée, have the waiter box up half before he even gives it to you, so you eat a smaller portion and have lunch for the next day. Save money and calories by ordering an appetizer and a salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Stay away from white carbohydrates, creamy salad dressings and anything fried.
Step 5
Purchase a pedometer and get moving. See how many steps you take on a normal day and try to add 2000 steps to that amount. Park half a mile away from work, walk your dog in the mornings and take the stairs when you can.
Step 6
Find an exercise program that you enjoy. Get a couple workout DVDs, take a kickboxing class or start swimming again. Intermix weight training and cardio for the best results. You should be working out four to five times a week for at least 45 minutes to lose substantial weight.
Tips and Warnings
- Discuss your exercise program with your doctor before you start to make sure it's a good fit physically. Ask your doctor for exercise suggestions.
- Don't restrict yourself from the foods you love all the time. Your diet will never work that way. Instead, allow yourself to have one cheat meal a week.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pen
- Pedometer
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