Though many people have positive intentions regarding weight loss, they often tend to wing it rather than developing a proper strategy on how they will go about it. Similar to achieving any goal, weight loss takes planning and a sound execution program. The quickest way to achieve your weight loss goals is to consistently employ effective methods that will let you reduce your caloric intake and burn additional calories through exercise. With practice, these healthy lifestyle tactics will become automatic and help you achieve long-term weight loss success.
Diet
Step 1
Plan for realistic weight loss. Limit your weight loss to 1 to 2 lbs. per week, which is considered safe and can increase your chance of long-term success. Avoid fad diets that can be dangerous and only result in a loss of water weight rather than fat.
Step 2
Reduce your calories by 500 each day to lose 1 lb. of weight per week. Replace high-calorie foods that contain added sugars and saturated fats with fresh vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, whole-grain carbohydrates, and healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats.
Step 3
Develop a plan in advance on how you will reduce your calories each day to increase your chance of success. Think about what and when you will eat for each meal and snack throughout the day so that you have options readily available and are not caught off-guard and left vulnerable to bad food choices.
Step 4
Research recipes at the beginning of the week; this is especially important if you are not used to eating or cooking with fruit and vegetables. Finding healthy-yet-delicious recipes that incorporate fresh vegetables and fruit will help you keep meals low in calories yet high in fiber and nutrients.
Exercise
Step 1
Burn an additional 500 calories each day through cardiovascular exercise. Running four 10-minute miles can burn 540 calories, according to "Fitness" magazine, and taking a one-hour indoor cycling class can burn more than 800 calories.
Step 2
Incorporate strength training two to three days per week to build lean muscle mass, which can help to maximize your metabolic power and help you burn fat and calories. Strength training includes lifting weights, practicing yoga or working out with resistance bands, for example.
Step 3
Schedule your workouts well into your day so that you are sure to have time to make it to the gym, track or yoga studio. Give your weight loss efforts a high priority and think of your workout session as an appointment that cannot be broken.
Step 4
Plan your exercise sessions out for the week in advance so that you are better able to execute a program that contains both cardio and strength training. Give your muscles a rest for 48 hours between strength training sessions to avoid overtraining and injury, which can interfere with your weight loss efforts.
Things You'll Need
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Lean protein
- Whole-grain carbohydrates
- Poly and monounsaturated fats
- Running shoes
- Weightlifting equipment
- Resistance bands
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