You can lose up to 60 lbs. on many calorie-restricted food plans. However, if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you should adopt a diet and exercise regimen that has you losing weight gradually. Trim 500 calories per day from your caloric consumption and you will lose 1 lb. per week. Double your weight loss by doing 30 minutes to 1 hour of aerobic exercise daily.
Healthful Choices
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a low-calorie diet filled with nutritious food choices. Cut calorie-packed foods such as animal fat, full-fat dairy products, sources of trans fat, sugary beverages, fast food and many processed foods. Fill your diet with nutrient-dense whole foods like fresh produce, lean cuts of poultry, fish and whole grains. Keep your sodium and sugar intake low by eating fresh foods so you can control how much seasoning you add. Women should limit alcohol consumption to one serving per day and men to two servings per day.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet, a diverse food plan with plenty of fresh foods, is a low-calorie diet that provides enough options for people to enjoy following it for the long-term. Center your main meals around dishes such as lightly-dressed salad, fresh fruit, marinated vegetables or roasted vegetables drizzled in heart-healthy olive oil. Fill the rest of your plate with entrees and side dishes such as broiled salmon, grilled poultry, couscous, wild rice, nonfat Greek yogurt, whole wheat pasta, hummus, lentils, nuts, olives, avocado and seeds. This food plan also allows you to consume cheese, any whole grains and a glass of red wine with dinner. Replace dessert with a bowl of berries.
Portion Control
Eating too much of healthful foods can still result in weight gain. Study serving size information on packaged foods to get a sense of how much food equals a single serving. At mealtimes, you can use smaller plates or fill half of a dinner plate with fresh produce to control your portion sizes. When you order food at restaurants, stick to the light menu or choose from the appetizers, soups or salads. These lifestyle changes will help promote and maintain weight loss.
Exercise
A nutritious diet that promotes weight loss does not address every aspect of your overall health. To attain heart health and physical strength, you need to exercise daily. Do moderate exercise such as walking briskly or bicycling for at least 30 minutes every day. If you do more vigorous exercise, like running or martial arts, you can do 30-minute workouts every other day. Make your aerobic workout a strength training session by doing yoga stretches, pushups, situps and squats before your cool down. Exercising boosts your weight loss and helps you maintain weight loss.
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