Successful Weight Loss

Many factors are involved in weight loss. How much and what types of food you eat, the amount of exercise you engage in and biological factors such as metabolism. Do you think you must avoid good-tasting food when dieting? Have you ever lost weight and then regained the pounds? Are you still searching for a “miracle” weight-loss plan?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are in good company. You have probably been unsuccessful at long-term weight loss. Unfortunately, most people who try to lose weight don't understand that successful weight loss requires not just fewer calories but also regular exercise and healthy eating habits that can be maintained for life.

The tips below will help lead you to long-term successful weight loss:

YOU MUST SET REALISTIC GOALS. This seems obvious, doesn’t it? However, most people do not really know what realistic is. A loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week is a healthy weight loss goal. Initially, you will probably lose more weight especially if you make substantial changes to your diet. To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn between 500 and 1000 calories more than you consume each day.

NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST. Most people assume if they skip meals, especially breakfast, they will more easily lose weight. The truth is the opposite. When you skip meals, your metabolism slows down because your body goes into “starvation” mode. Eating breakfast, in fact, increases your metabolism, helping you to burn more calories during the day. It also helps you avoid overeating later in the day.

AVOID WHITE FOODS. This is an easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from white sugar, white flour, potatoes, rice or corn – say no. This rule of thumb will make it much easier to recognize the unhealthy foods to avoid.

ENJOY HEALTHY FOODS. Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for the white ones. Buy broccoli, bell peppers, green beans and peas, leafy greens, apples, melons, oranges and grapes. These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and vital antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your diet variety as well as give you added health benefits. Eat four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily. Cook with olive oil. Choose low-fat dairy products and keep meat consumption limited to a small portion once or twice a week.

DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY. To begin with, you should drink a glass of water first thing in the morning before you eat. This is the healthiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long.  Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier the more you do it. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water. You can add a few drops of lemon or lime juice to your water or add ice. Water also moves the toxins and wastes through and out of your system, reducing your risk for constipation and many other diseases and conditions.

EAT MORE FIBER. Fiber, like water, moves toxins and waste through your body. If you aren’t eliminating wastes every day, you are storing it–and those pounds of stored waste add up quickly.  People can store as much as 20 pounds of waste in their bodies. Yuck! Increase your fiber intake, along with your water intake. You will be healthier and feel much better.

EAT AT LEAST 3 SMALL MEALS & 2 SNACKS EVERY DAY. Eating more meals to lose weight doesn’t sound right, does it. However, eating more often will increase your metabolism- just like eating breakfast. It also helps you curb your intake of “bad” carbohydrates by making sure that your snacks are planned and take place at regular intervals throughout the day.

CLOSE THE KITCHEN AFTER DINNER. Establish a time when you will stop eating so you won’t give in to the late-night munchies or mindless snacking while watching television. If you must have something, drink a cup of tea, eat a piece of fruit, or suck on a piece of hard candy.

BE ACTIVE. The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.5 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories).

While you can lose weight without exercise, exercise makes weight-loss a lot easier. Exercise helps burn off excess calories that you can't cut through diet alone. It also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure.

Exercise helps maintain weight loss. People who maintain their weight loss over the long term enjoy regular physical activity. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as brisk walking, swimming, skating, dancing, or aerobics class — for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.

There are other ways, as well, that you can use to burn extra calories. Lifestyle activities may be easier to fit into your day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day if you can't fit in formal exercise on a given day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot when shopping.

CONTROL YOUR ENVIRONMENT. If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it! Stick to the outer edge of the grocery store. This is where you will find the fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, and dairy products. Controlling your environment includes everything from stocking your kitchen with lots of healthy options to choosing the right restaurants. That means staying away from all-you-can-eat restaurants.

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. If you want long-term, successful weight loss, these habits must become a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your current eating habits and daily routine. After making this personal assessment, try working out a strategy to gradually make changes to your habits that have sabotaged your efforts in the past.

If you have a setback, instead of giving up, start fresh the next day. Remember, this is about changing your life, not just about making some temporary diet changes. Stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will come.