Weight Loss
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Losing Weight
To lose weight you need to assess the calories you're taking in against the calories that you're using up; if you use more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. Calories are contained in all foods and drinks and are needed by the body to function; those that you eat are either converted into energy or stored in your body as fat. For the average adult, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2000 for women and 2500 for men.
Have three small meals a day at regular times, with healthy snacks (like nuts or fruit) between them if necessary. Skipping meals will make you feel ill and weak and will likely result in you indulging in sweet or fatty foods at your next meal. Get yourself in a routine and try to only eat at designated times and places; if you eat a lot on the go, it’s difficult to keep track of what you are putting into your mouth.
Keep track of when and what you eat (use a food diary for doing this) and try to cook your own food so you know exactly what's contained in the meals that you eat. Read food labels and double check serving sizes and calories per serving as these can all be deceiving and use smaller plates when serving yourself food (psychologically it will help you eat less) and eat slowly as your brain takes a longer time to realize that you are full than your stomach does.
Fruit and vegetables are the key to eating until you are full without taking into too many calories. Treat vegetables as your main course and meats and starches (potato, rice, pasta, bread etc.) as your side dishes; maybe even make one day of the week your vegetarian day, where you plan your meals around only vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Choose whole grains, natural and raw foods over processed, man-made and refined foods; besides nutritional benefits, they’re full of fiber and enzymes that aid digestion. Choose lean meats (such as chicken and turkey) rather than fatty meats (such as pork and beef). However, don’t try to strip all fats from your diet; good fats, also known as essential fatty acids, should be used sparingly in your diet to help you feel full and keep your brain and body healthy. Drink lots of water, as it’s easy to confuse hunger with thirst, and try to cut out soda all together and minimize your intake of milk.
You must exercise also regularly to see real changes in your body shape. The average healthy person should aim to do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Decide at the start of the week on what days and at which times you’ll be exercising and create an exercise timetable; if you’ve set time aside for an activity, you'll be more likely to do it. Know exactly what you expect of yourself and have definite targets to achieve within a specific (realistic) timescale; writing down yourgoals / targets, and the steps to achieve them, will help to keep you focused.
Regular cardio exercise, like running or aerobics, will burn calories fast and give you more stamina over time, so you can exercise longer, losing more weight. Weight training can help firm up your body and create muscle which helps quickens your metabolism. Exercise equipment for your house can be a worthwhile investment; it means that you can fit in short busts of exercise when you have juts a little free time. If you are finding it difficult to get motivated, find a personal trainer; they’re often worth the money because they improve the rate at which you’ll start to see results.
Sports that you can choose from include; archery; athletics; basketball; badminton; bowls; boxing; canoeing; caving; cycling; climbing; cricket; croquet; fencing; football; golf; hiking; hockey; horse riding; ice hockey; martial arts; netball; paintball; roller skating; rowing; rugby; sailing; scuba diving; skiing; snowboarding; squash; surfing; swimming; table tennis; tennis; volleyball.
Non gym-related types of physical activityinclude: walking; jogging; cycling; swimming; sports; dancing; gardening; house chores; playing with children.
Know exactly what you expect of yourself and have definite targets to achieve; writing them down will help to keep you focused. Don’t discourage yourself by trying to aim for goals that are not right or realistic for you and give yourself a reasonable time frame to get some results out of your new diet. Don’t weigh yourself everyday; it takes time for effective weight loss, and little or no change on the scale may demotivate you.
Get your spouse, partner and / or family involved; if the whole household is doing it together, there will be less temptation and more support. Surround yourself with people who understand and support your decision to lose weight; distance yourself from anyone who mocks or makes light of your efforts. Join a weight loss support programme; many people find that Weight Watchers or other groups may help keep them motivated and feeling responsible. As well as face to face support groups, consider online support communities; many are free to join.