We have all heard of crash diets, which promise rapid weight
loss. However, the results are seldom lasting as what you lose is mostly
water. Plus, crash diets can be harmful for your health. For
longer-lasting results, you should adopt a healthy diet and an exercise
program. Here are the top tips on healthy weight loss.
Diet
Diet
- Keep a food journal, tracking everything you eat. This will give you valuable insight on where your diet pitfalls lie, and provide the first step in overhauling your diet.
- Slash the amount of fats you consume and opt for low-fat versions of your usual foods. For example, choose frozen, low-fat yoghurt over ice-cream and pretzels over potato chips.
- Incorporate lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. They provide fiber, which makes you stay satiated longer, as well as key nutrients, which are important for maintaining overall well being.
- Being on a diet does not mean that you have to cut out your favorite foods forever. Allow yourself a treat once a week. Not depriving yourself completely will help you stay on track and stay motivated for the rest of the week.
- Learn about portion sizes as it affects how many calories you are consuming. Restaurants tend to serve bigger portion sizes than you need. Share a dish or split a dessert - it will make a huge difference to how much you consume.
- Drink lots of water. Often, what we perceive as hunger is really thirst. Plain water is the best to keep you hydrated.
- Keep some healthy food on hand so that when you are hungry, you are less likely to reach out for fatty, calorie-laden convenience food. Good snacks to keep handy include fruits, low-fat yoghurt, and nuts.
- Eat smaller meals more frequently, instead of three square, hefty meals. This will keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day, making you less likely to snack on unhealthy food.
- Is emotional eating making you overeat? Perhaps you are eating to satisfy psychological hunger, not physical hunger. Learn to detect what triggers emotional eating for you, and adopt healthier ways to manage these challenging situations instead of turning to food.
- Lasting weight loss does not happen overnight. Set realistic goals, aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss each week. Weight that is lost at a slow, steady rate is also likely to stay off longer.
- Aerobic exercise, which gets your heart rate up over a sustained period of time, is essential for burning fat. To see significant results, you should do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, four times a week. Fast walking, swimming, jogging and biking are all great exercises for blasting the fat.
- Complement your cardio workouts with strength training. The latter builds up muscle tissues, which will continue to burn fat even when you are at rest. If you are pinched for time, target the large muscle groups in your legs and buttocks. Great exercises you can do, even at home, include squats and lunges.
- Be more active throughout the day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Get off the bus or tube one or two stops before your destination. All these calories burnt will add up and translate into faster weight loss.
- Before you start your exercise program, it is always good to consult your doctor who can evaluate whether you are fit enough for your chosen activity. This is especially so for people with significant health risks, men aged above 45, and women aged above 55.
Chloe Alice Wilson started writing articles two years ago when
she moved abroad to start a healthier and happier life with her family.
She loves to write health and fitness articles when she has some free
time but most of her working hours are spent writing about Ben 10 toys and other boys toys for her toy review website. This site features all the new toys as well as discussions on how to donate toys that you no longer want.
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