A safe program for fitness and weight loss is a consistent one. Your body builds nutrition and physical condition gradually, which is why good eating and exercise habits are important. Engaging in crash-diet or weekend-warrior behavior won't provide a healthy diet and exercise plan that will stick. Instead, try to achieve and maintain a balance between calorie intake and burn-off. This ongoing program will naturally control your weight and keep your body ready for long stretches or bursts of activity, on command.
Steady Nutrition
Steady sources of essential nutrients are especially needed during periods of weight loss. As your body gets by on fewer calories, it still needs the minimum daily values of protein, vitamins, minerals and other elements for life-sustaining functions and exercise. As you reduce your calorie intake, be sure to eat breakfast and at least two more meals per day. If you draw your menus from each of the fruit, grain, vegetable, dairy and protein food groups, you'll get the full range of essential nutrients.
Regular Aerobics
To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume, so build a daily fitness program to deplete any food calories that your body stores as glucose and fat. Try brisk walking, swimming or cycling to simultaneously improve your cardiovascular health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobics per week to maintain a healthy weight on an average diet. If you reduce daily calories from food, you'll lose weight with this equation.
Strength Building
As you lose weight, and especially if you were out of shape initially, your bones and muscles should be strengthened and toned. Avoid fractures and muscle tears during cardiovascular exercise by strength training with weights, resistance bands or calisthenics. Practice eight to 12 repetitions per muscle group, twice a week.
Upping the Intensity
To lose more weight, reduce your calorie intake from fat by switching to fat-free dairy products and eating fish in place of meat. Drink water in place of fruit juices or sweetened sodas. Increase the impact of your workouts by moving from moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, or by lengthening exercise times to as much as 300 minutes per week, while still limiting your daily calorie counts. The HHS notes that still longer workouts provide fitness benefits, but a reduced-calorie diet might not support this much activity.
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