The best diets for losing 5 to 10 lbs. concentrate not only on losing weight but on improving your overall health. Diets include physical activity, developing lifelong healthy eating and living habits, breaking unhealthy habits that caused the initial weight gain and promoting long-term healthy weight management. Check with your doctor first since not all diets may be appropriate for your individual health condition.
Safe
The best diets for losing 5 to 10 lbs. will not place undue stress upon your body or cause harmful side effects while losing weight. Plan on taking between five and 10 weeks in order to achieve your 5- to 10-lb. weight-loss goal since recommendations state that losing a pound weekly results in safe, successful and healthful weight loss, according to the No Fad Diet developed by the American Heart Association. Safe diets do not promote eating certain foods to the exclusion of others in order to lose weight quickly. Crash or fad diets, the term for these harmful diets, cause poor nutrition by robbing your body of essential nutrition.
Well-Balanced
The best diets for losing 5 to 10 lbs. will be well-balanced, contain easy-to-purchase foods and fit within your budget. Eating a well-balanced diet means eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods from all food groups including low-fat dairy, lean protein, grains, fruits, nuts and seeds plus vegetables in the correct portions. Control your appetite by filling up on low-calorie, high-fiber foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables.
Utilize Diaries
The best diets for losing 5 to 10 lbs. use food and exercise diaries, or journals, as a key component. Food and activity journals keep track of your dietary and exercise habits. Journals can also help you realize your consumption intake and reasons why you are eating. Record whatever you eat and drink throughout the day, where you consume it, the portion or amount and how you are feeling when you consume the items. Do the same with your activity by listing when, the duration and your emotions before and after. Plan on using your diary at least seven days while losing your 5 to 10 lbs. in order to closely monitor your habits. Use the food and activity diary/journal after your weight loss to help with weight management.
Burn Calories
In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. The best diets for losing 5 to 10 lbs. will include physical activity in the equation. Since a 1-lb. weight loss requires burning 3,500 calories more than you consume, you need to know how many calories per hour you burn by doing your favorite activity. Find a calorie-burning chart. Burn the most calories by doing a variety of cardiovascular activities, known as aerobics, that increase your heart rate for an extended period of time.
Getting at least 150 minutes weekly of moderately-brisk activities or 75 minutes weekly of more intense exercise both fall within the American Heart Association recommendations. Alternating enjoyable activities will reduce boredom and increase motivation. Choose from walking, swimming, rowing, skiing and bicycling to help with losing weight while reducing your risks of developing chronic health ailments including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Obesity Remedies; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; Mayo Clinic staff; 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Weight Loss Diet Plans; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; Mayo Clinic staff; 2011
- American Heart Association; No Fad Diet Tips; 2011
- American Heart Association; Losing Weight; 2011
- American Heart Association; 5 Goals To Losing Weight; 2011
Member Comments