If you want to lose weight, think long-term and strive to do at least 30 minutes of cardio daily and eat a low-fat, balanced diet. Add resistance training to increase your metabolism. Check out the sensible dietary guidelines in My Food Pyramid, designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They recommend eating a varied diet and limiting total fat intake per day to no more than 30 percent of total calories.
Recruit a workout buddy who will help you stay motivated. Aim to lose about 1 1/2 to 2 lb. per week for permanent weight loss.
Step 1
Calculate how many calories you can eat per day to lose the amount you want to lose. To lose 1 lb., you must trim or burn through exercise 3,500 calories. You could delete 500 calories per day for 7 days to lose that pound. You can also add physical exercise that will burn more calories every day. For example, to lose 5 lb. in 5 weeks, eat 500 fewer calories per day than you do now.
Step 2
Clean up your diet and think of nutrient-dense foods that you will actually eat. To lose weight, your diet must be sustainable. The USDA recommends eating whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, low-fat or nonfat dairy foods and nonsaturated fats.
Step 3
Follow this example of a healthy, low-calorie diet to lose about 1 1/2 to 2 lb. a week. For lunch and dinner, eat mainly whole fruits, salads, steamed vegetables, whole grains, about 4 oz. of lean beef, poultry or fish. Breakfast can be low-fat yogurt, fruit, whole-grain toast with soft-boiled eggs or frozen waffles and fruit preserves.
Step 4
Boost your metabolism with regular, moderate exercise. Short bouts of 10 minutes of walking, two to three times daily, is a minimum. Add 5 to 10 minutes to your cardio sessions per week until you can comfortably do 45 to 60 minutes per day.
Step 5
Add resistance training to build lean muscle tissue that will help you burn more calories. Women will not become bulky unless they lift heavy weights daily and eat a very high protein diet. For benefits, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends two sessions of resistance training per week of at least 10 to 12 different exercises. A single session will take you about 30 to 45 minutes.
Tips and Warnings
- The USDA recommends eating no more than 30 percent of your total daily calories from fat. Of that percentage, eat no more than 10 percent from saturated fat from your total daily calories. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature: beef, poultry, pork, butter and coconut fat. Reducing your consumption of saturated fat will reduce body fat and your risk for heart disease and obesity.
Things You'll Need
- Gym membership
- Whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes
- Lean proteins
- Nonfat dairy foods
- Nonsaturated fats: olive, canola, flax seed, hemp seed, fish oil
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: My Food Pyramid, Steps to a Healthier Weight
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Walking Compared With Vigorous Exercise for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Women; J.E. Manson et al.; 2002
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