Look at many of the weight loss books available, and you might walk away convinced that weight loss is an incredibly complicated endeavor. The bottom line is that you must burn 3,500 more calories than you eat for each pound you lose. Losing weight may be as simple as exchanging a few double cheeseburgers with fries for some grilled chicken with veggie kabobs.
Eat Less
The simplest way to reduce calories is to eat less. However, most people underestimate the amount they consume. You can get a grip on the number of calories you're eating by understanding serving sizes. For example, a 3 oz. serving of meat is the size of a pack of cards, while a serving of baked potato is the size of a computer mouse.
Eat Differently
To avoid being defeated by cravings, eat foods that don't make your blood sugar fluctuate wildly. Avoid highly processed foods with ingredients that you can't pronounce along with "white" foods such as white bread, white rice and pastries. Refined carbohydrates are associated with weight gain, not weight loss. Replace these foods with whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins -- and you will reduce your diet-destroying cravings. Healthy proteins that can help increase satiety include low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks, almonds and other nuts, fish, poultry and lean cuts of beef.
Exercise
If you're overweight, chances are you aren't burning enough calories through exercise. Extinguish any idea that exercising for a half hour every few days will make an impact on your weight -- at least not significantly. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising for a minimum of 60 minutes at least five days a week to lose weight. Choose exercises that you enjoy so that you will be more likely to continue your exercise program in years to come. Consider making time to play a game of pick-up basketball, kicking around a soccer ball in the park with some fellow fans or learning how to kayak or canoe. These exercises all burn a significant number of calories yet won't make you yearn for your activity time to be completed.
Set Effective Goals
Make a list of specific, measurable actions you will need to take in order to lose your excess weight. Goals to consider include eating fewer than 1,500 calories each day, walking for an hour once a day and drinking a glass of water before each meal.
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