Diet centers, book sellers, supplement manufacturers and fitness centers want you to believe that weight loss requires financial commitment. Weight loss does require commitment, but of the mental and physical type. Losing weight does not have to cost money; in fact, you may save some during your efforts.
Cut Calories
Harvard University researchers, after reviewing results of several "diet" plans, concluded that simply reducing calories results in "clinically meaningful" weight loss. You do not need to buy a book to tell you how to cut calories. Take advice from the Harvard School of Public Health: Choose healthy carbs like whole grains and vegetables, eat lean proteins and fish, cut out sugary drinks and moderate your intake of alcohol. Visit restaurants less often to avoid their over-inflated portion sizes, and cook at home for less money and better quality.
Keep a Food Diary
In August 2008, the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" published findings that supported keeping a food diary to double your weight loss results. The diary itself does not have to be formal -- just notes on a scrap piece of paper. The mere act of record-keeping makes you more aware of and more accountable to your dietary choices. Several online services offer free food logs, including TheDailyPlate.com.
Turn Off Your TV
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends curbing your television watching and taking up more active pursuits instead. Sitting in front of the television burns minimal calories. Walk your dog or play with your kids instead to promote calorie burn. Sixty-two percent of the members of the National Weight Control Registry -- a group of over 5,000 people who have managed to lose significant weight and keep it off for over five years -- report watching 10 hours or less of television per week. As an added bonus, canceling your cable may save you a few dollars.
Exercise
You do not have to pay a personal trainer, buy exercise DVDs or join a gym to engage in a formal exercise routine. Take up power walking or jogging in your neighborhood. Perform strength training exercises in your living room. Squats, push-ups, lunges and tricep dips off a coffee table use your own body weight to build muscles. Make this routine a calorie-burning circuit by inserting a minute of jumping jacks, jump squats, marches in place and squat thrusts. Use everyday items found in your home to add more challenge. Run up and down your own staircase, and use a bottle of laundry detergent for biceps curls or water bottles for shoulder presses.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Getting to Your Healthy Weight
- National Institutes of Health: Tips for Losing Weight
- Mayo Clinic: Weight Loss
- New England Journal of Medicine: Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates
- American Journal of Preventive Medicine: Weight loss during the intensive intervention phase of the weight-loss maintenance trial
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