People can lose weight and maintain that loss by taking several actionable steps. These include the following:
1. Eat varied, colorful, nutritionally dense foods
Healthy meals and snacks should form the basis of the human diet. A simple way to create a meal plan is to make sure each meal includes 50 percent fruits and vegetables, 25 percent whole grains, and 25 percent protein. Total fiber intake should be
Eliminate trans fats from the diet and minimize the consumption of saturated fats, which have a strong link with the incidence of coronary disease.
Instead, people can consume monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are types of unsaturated fat.
The following foods are healthy and often rich in nutrients:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- fish
- legumes
- nuts
- seeds
- whole grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal
Foods to avoid eating include:
- foods with added oils, butter and sugar
- fatty or processed red meats
- baked goods
- bagels
- White bread
- processed foods
In some cases, removing certain foods from the diet can lead to a deficiency of certain necessary elements. vitamins and minerals. A nutritionist, dietitian or other healthcare professional can advise a person on how to get enough nutrients while following a weight loss program.
2. Keep a Food and Weight Diary
Self-monitoring is an essential factor in successful weight loss. People can use a paper journal, mobile app, or dedicated website to record every food they eat each day. They can also measure their progress by recording their weight each week.
Those who can track their success in small steps and identify physical changes are much more likely to stick with a weight loss diet.
People can also track their body mass index (BMI) using a BMI calculator.
3. Engage in regular physical activity and exercise
Regular exercise is vital both for the physique and Mental Health. Increasing the frequency of physical activity in a disciplined and targeted manner is often crucial to successful weight loss.
One hour of moderate-intensity activity per day, such as a brisk walk, is ideal. If an hour a day is not possible, the Mayo Clinic suggests that a person aim for a minimum of 150 minutes every week.
People who are not usually physically active should slowly increase the amount of exercise they do and gradually increase its intensity. This approach is the most sustainable way to ensure regular exercise is part of their lifestyle.
In the same way that logging meals can help psychologically with weight loss, people can also benefit from tracking their physical activity. Many free mobile apps are available to track a person’s calorie balance after recording their food intake and exercise.
If the idea of a full-body workout seems intimidating to someone new to exercise, they can start by doing the following activities to increase their exercise level:
- take the stairs
- rake the leaves
- walking a dog
- gardening
- dancing
- play outdoor games
- park further from the entrance of a building
People at low risk of coronary heart disease are unlikely to need a medical evaluation before starting an exercise program.
However, a prior medical evaluation may be recommended for certain people, particularly those suffering from diabetes. Anyone who is unsure about safe exercise levels should speak to a healthcare professional.
4. Eliminate Liquid Calories
It is possible to consume hundreds of them calories per day by drinking sugary sodas, tea, fruit juices or alcohol. These are known as “empty calories” because they provide extra energy without offering any nutritional benefits.
Unless a person is consuming a smoothie to replace a meal, they should stick to water or unsweetened tea and coffee. Adding a little fresh lemon or orange to the water can add flavor.
Avoid mistakes dehydration for hunger. An individual can often satisfy hunger between scheduled meals with a glass of water.
5. Measure Portions and Control Portions
Eating too many foods, even low-calorie vegetables, can lead to weight gain.
Therefore, people should avoid estimating serving size or eating food directly from the packet. It is best to use measuring cups and portion size guides. Guessing leads to overestimation and the likelihood of eating a larger portion than necessary.
The following size comparisons may be helpful in monitoring restaurant food consumption:
- a quarter cup is a golf ball
- half a cup is a tennis ball
- 1 cup is a baseball
- 1 ounce (oz) of nuts equals a handful
- 1 teaspoon equals 1 playing die
- 1 tbsp is the tip of your thumb
- 3 oz of meat is a deck of cards
- 1 slice is a DVD
These sizes are not exact, but they can help a person moderate their food intake when the proper tools are not available.
6. Eat consciously
Many people benefit from mindful eating, which involves being fully aware of why, how, when, where and what they eat.
Making healthier food choices is a direct result of being in better harmony with the body.
People who practice mindful eating also try to eat more slowly and savor their food, focusing on the taste. Making a meal last 20 minutes allows the body to register all the signals of satiety.
It’s important to focus on satisfaction after a meal rather than fullness and to keep in mind that many “all-natural” or low-fat foods are not necessarily a healthy choice.
People may also ask themselves the following questions about their meal choices:
- Is this good “value for money” for the caloric cost?
- Will this bring satiety?
- Are the ingredients healthy?
- If it has a label, how much fat and sodium does it contain?
7. Control of stimuli and signals
Many social and environmental cues can encourage unnecessary eating. For example, some people are more likely to overeat while watching TV. Others have trouble passing a bowl of candy to someone else without taking a piece.
By being aware of what can trigger the urge to snack on empty calories, people can think about ways to adjust their routine to limit these triggers.
8. Plan Ahead
Stocking a kitchen with diet-friendly foods and creating structured meal plans will lead to greater weight loss.
People looking to lose weight or keep it off should rid their kitchen of processed or junk foods and make sure they have the ingredients they need to prepare simple, healthy meals. This can prevent rapid, unplanned and careless eating.
Planning your food choices before going to social events or restaurants can also make the process easier.
9. Seek social support
Having support from loved ones is an integral part of a successful weight loss journey.
Some people may want to invite friends or family to join them, while others may prefer to use social media to share their progress.
Other avenues of support may include:
- a positive social network
- group or individual counseling
- clubs or exercise partners
- employee assistance programs at work
10. Stay positive
Weight loss is a gradual process and a person may feel discouraged if the pounds do not come off at the expected rate.
Some days will be more difficult than others when sticking to a weight loss or maintenance program. A successful weight loss program requires that the individual persevere and not give up when self-change seems too difficult.
Some people might need to reset their goals, perhaps by adjusting the total number of calories they want to consume or changing their exercise habits.
The important thing is to keep a positive attitude and persevere in our efforts to overcome obstacles to successful weight loss.
Successful weight loss does not require people to follow a specific diet plan, such as Slimming World or Atkins. Instead, they should focus on consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity to achieve a negative energy balance.
Weight loss depends primarily on reducing total calorie intake, not on adjusting calorie proportions. carbohydratesfats and proteins in the diet.
A reasonable weight loss goal to start seeing health benefits is a 5 to 10 percent off in body weight over a period of 6 months.
Most people can achieve this goal by reducing their total calorie intake to between 1,000 and 1,600 calories per day.
A diet of less than 1,000 calories per day will not be enough to provide them daily nutrition.
After 6 months of dieting, the rate of weight loss generally decreases and body weight tends to stabilize because people use less energy with lower body weight. Following a weight maintenance program that includes healthy eating habits and regular physical activity is the best way to avoid regaining lost weight.
People with a BMI of 30 or greater and without obesity-related health problems may benefit from taking prescription weight loss medications. These might also be suitable for people with a BMI of 27 or more and suffering from obesity-related illnesses.
However, a person should only use medications to support the above lifestyle changes. If weight loss attempts fail and a person’s BMI reaches 40 or higher, surgical treatment is an option.