Sometimes, a weight-loss journey begins with small, simple steps. Thirty-four percent of American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and another 34 percent are overweight. This can lead to health risks such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. Take the initiative to eat well and exercise daily by following five steps.
Drink Water
A can of regular soda contains 40 g of sugar and 150 calories. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that 88 studies support a link between soda consumption and an increase in health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, according to a research paper from the American Society of Business and Behavior Studies. Even diet soda can lead to weight gain. A 2009 study from the American Diabetes Association found that people who reported drinking diet soda every day had a 36 percent greater chance of a larger waistline. Drink water instead of soda every day, which keeps you hydrated without any chance of weight gain.
Record Your Food
A 2008 study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research found that keeping a daily food record could result in double the weight loss. A food diary does not have to be arduous or formal. Just scribbling down every item of food or emailing yourself a list of the day's meals can encourage you to eat fewer calories. There are also online food journals that make entering specific foods into a tracking system easy. Recording your food also allows you to monitor nutritional breakdowns other than calories, such as watching your sodium, fiber and sugar intake, as well as counting how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat each day.
Walk 10,000 Steps
The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of exercise each day, which health organization Shape Up America! has translated into 10,000 steps per day. Reaching this goal nearly always requires taking a walk outside or using a treadmill, so it encourages daily exercise. To track the number of steps you are taking, wear a pedometer every day. If 10,000 steps seems like too high of a goal, choose a smaller amount first and work your way up.
Eat Whole Grains
A 2011 Harvard study published in "The New England Journal of Medicine" found daily servings of whole grains was associated with weight loss over a four-year period. Whole grains include whole-wheat breads and pastas, brown rice and oatmeal. Conversely, simple carbohydrates such as potatoes were linked with weight gain over a four-year period.
Pack Your Lunch
It's easier to lose weight when you control what you eat. When you dine at a restaurant, you often do not know how many calories are in your meal, plus the portions are larger. To lose weight, pack your lunch or eat at home, where can you can choose healthy foods. Pack natural, whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat protein and dairy. Combine a whole-wheat wrap filled with chicken, hummus and spinach with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese and an apple for a nutritionally balanced and filling lunch.
References
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men; Dariush Mozaffarian; June 2011
- Shape Up America!: Getting started on the 10,000 Steps Program
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity and Overweight
- The Center for Health Research: CHR Study Finds Keeping Food Diaries Doubles Weight Loss
- American Society of Business and Behavior Sciences: Is There A Case For Changing Our Public Policy Toward Soda?
- American Diabetes Association: Diet Soda Linked to Higher Health Risks
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