Reducing daily calorie intake by selecting healthy foods, using food portion control, and developing a program of daily exercise reduces weight and keeps it off. The Mayo Clinic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases endorse these basic weight loss actions. The most difficult part of any weight loss program is maintaining motivation. Working with a group, formal or informal, helps keep motivation high.
Step 1
Consult with your doctor. If you don't have a regular family doctor or can't afford an appointment, consult the local branch of the American Heart Association or public health clinic to research free or low-cost public health screening dates. The local YMCA or YWCA may also provide assistance for initial health screenings to start the weight-loss program. Scan local print newspaper or online news sources for health fairs or hospital open houses providing free or low-cost health screenings to prepare for a weight-loss program.
Step 2
Develop a diet menu plan by consulting healthy diet guidelines and meeting with a nutritionist about specific elements. Each dieter requires a plan tailored to health needs and lifestyle habits. If your work, for instance, requires restaurant dieting, your diet plan may incorporate less calorie consumption and eliminate snacking to offset calories from a restaurant meal. The diet may also itemize specific healthy meals available from an eatery. MayoClinic.com recommends incorporating foods on the meal plan that are easily found in local stores and selecting foods you enjoy eating as featured menu food choices.
Step 3
Design an exercise plan with a physical trainer, doctor or physical therapist. Incorporate activities that you enjoy and include a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise at least three days per week to maintain weight, ranging up to a daily regimen of up to an hour to burn calories and lose weight. Your doctor can suggest exercises suitable for your health and match any physical issues that may present a problem for you to complete traditional exercises. If you haven't exercised in many years, your exercise program may start slowly and work up to longer minutes per day over a period of time.
If you cannot afford a medical or nutritional consultation, check with the local hospitals in your area to find low-cost or free exercise counseling services. The same sources used to locate free or low-cost medical screening may also help with the development of exercise programs.
Step 4
Shop using the diet menus. Purchase food for the week using your specific diet program. It's easy to ignore a diet plan and fall back into poor eating habits when healthy food choices aren't available in your refrigerator. Lay out the menus for the entire week and make a list of the food items required to make the meals. Place the menu planner in a prominent place so that meal preparation is quick and easy.
Step 5
Start the exercise plan immediately. Don't wait to begin at the beginning of a new week or after a holiday, but start right away. Incorporate the exercise as part of a regular schedule and don't vary the time period. This allows you to make a mental note to save that time every day for exercise. By setting time aside each day, you've made exercise an essential element of your daily plan.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a journal with daily entries for calories and number of minutes of exercise done. Use this record for motivation on the days when either program becomes difficult and you think you may be tempted to quit.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Healthy Weight-It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle!; Losing Weight
- Springfield Medical Care Systems, Inc.: News
- Langone Medical Center: New York City Free Clinic
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: Healthy Weight-It's Not a Diet, It's A Lifestyle!; Healthy Eating Habits
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise: When to Check With Your Doctor First
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