Following a strict dietary plan for weight loss can be frustrating and may lead to failure as life interferes with the structure of the plan. Instead, try incorporating small steps to take in fewer calories and create a bigger calorie burn. You may find that weight loss occurs without "dieting," but with more attention to your lifestyle choices. Stick to these steps for life to help you sustain weight loss and improve overall health.
Step 1
Keep a food diary. Writing down your food intake daily can help you lose twice as much weight, according to researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research, whose findings were published in a 2008 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Keep the diary online or in a physical journal. Note where you can easily cut back without feeling deprived---the samples at the grocery store, your kids' leftovers or the extra helping at dinner.
Step 2
Pen exercise into your calendar. Treat exercise as you would an important meeting or event. Try exercising early in the morning to increase adherence and prevent distractions from getting in the way. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, as recommended by the National Institutes of Health, to burn calories and build muscle.
Step 3
Learn to eat proper portions. Use common items as references for the recommended portion sizes by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For instance, look for bagels the size of a compact disc, potatoes the size of a computer mouse, meat or poultry the size of a deck of cards or cheese the size of a pair of dice.
Step 4
Increase protein intake. Eat as much as 30 percent of your daily calories from lean protein sources such as skinless chicken, egg whites, fish and whey because, as noted by the Harvard School of Public Health, protein offers greater satiation, reduces cravings and offers a slight increase in your metabolism.
Step 5
Cut out discretionary calories. Eliminate liquid calories first---soda, "fancy" coffee drinks, alcohol, energy supplements and juices. Drink water, unsweetened tea and coffee instead.
Step 6
Turn off the television in favor of more active pursuits. Take a walk, join a dance class or hang out with friends instead. Watch television and risk mindless snacking and temptation from junk food ads.
Step 7
Omit the processed foods. Avoid the preservatives, trans fats and hidden calories that infiltrate mass-produced restaurant and packaged meals because, as concluded by lead author Kyle Smith in a study of more than 2,800 participants published in a 2009 edition of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, eating takeout food twice a week or more correlates with a poor quality of diet and a greater prevalence of belly fat in men and women. Steer past the drive through. Choose fresh or flash-frozen vegetables over canned or sauced versions. Broil skinless chicken or fish instead of opting for a pre-baked version from the deli case. Steam your own rice instead of using a meal kit.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid skipping meals and fad diets as a method to lose weight. Skipping meals sets you up for dips in blood sugar, which increases cravings and the potential to binge at your next meal. If fad diets worked, then obesity likely would not be the problem it is today.
- Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Things You'll Need
- Food diary
- Calendar
- Lean protein
- Tea and coffee
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