The word diet can conjure up unpleasant associations, including deprivation, tedium and restriction. While you do not need to pay and join a commercial weight-loss center, sign up for an Internet weight-loss site or even subscribe to a weight-loss newsletter to lose weight, you do need to make permanent changes to your food intake patterns and lifestyle to lose weight and maintain weight loss.
Weight Loss Process
To lose a pound, you have to cause a calorie deficit either through eating less food, burning calories through activity or a combination of the two. Your body uses food to maintain organ functions and provide energy. According to Katherine Zeratsky, registered dietitian for MayoClinic.com, when you eat less food or burn extra calories, your body takes the fat cells and shrinks them. The smaller cells break down and your body absorbs them.
Restructure Eating Plan
You can reduce the number of calories you consume without following a specific plan. Examine your current diet in light of recommendations from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Eat whole grains rather than white breads and cereals, low- or fat-free dairy rather than full fat, fresh vegetables and healthy fruits, lean types of protein and mainly healthy oils. Eliminate refined sugary cereals, processed cookies and cakes, fatty meats, whole milk and white breads. Substituting healthier choices often means a small reduction in caloric intake. If you restructure your eating plan to eat 500 less calories a day, you can lose one pound in a week's time.
Calorie Reduction Techniques
Reducing calories to affect a loss of weight can be simple. A cup of fat-free yogurt has about 127 calories while a cup of whole-milk frozen yogurt contains 230. Processed salty crackers are crunchy, high in calories, but less filling than a slice of whole-wheat bread. Grill meat to save calories from oils used in frying, and steam, rather than pan fry, your fish. Eating an apple or orange gives you about 70 calories, fiber and vitamins, while drinking a glass of juice adds about 25 percent more calories and offers less fiber.
Lifestyle Techniques
While reducing calorie consumption can cause you to lose weight, adding extra periods of activity can help you lose weight without drastically cutting calories. After a healthy, low-calorie breakfast, walk for at least 10 minutes to burn a few calories and tone your muscles. Take another walk after lunch or before dinner and consider joining a gym or purchasing a set of hand weights to dedicate a few minutes each week to strength training. Eat a snack such as natural peanut butter or a half-ounce of reduced-fat cheese on a half a whole-wheat pita bread after a hard workout to replenish your energy.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Body Fat: What Happens to Lose Fat?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Energy
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity and Health
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