Eating healthy foods and getting daily exercise are key to losing weight and keeping it off. But for these changes to work, they must become part of your lifestyle. This means eliminating junk food from your diet, eating smaller portions and tracking other metrics besides the scale. Read on to learn more about these 5 Steps to Lose Weight and Keep It Off.
1. Eat Healthy
Eating a balanced diet is important for your overall health and can help you manage your weight. This includes eating a wide variety of foods from the 5 main groups and limiting unhealthy fats, salt and sugar.
Eat at least 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, choose lean meats, fish or beans and include whole grains in your meals. Try to cut back on saturated fats by choosing vegetable oils or spreads and avoiding butter, lard and ghee. A healthy diet does not need to be restrictive and does not have to be “all or nothing”. It is about making changes over time that feel sustainable.
Consider writing down your reasons for wanting to make a change, such as a desire to lower your risk of heart disease or improve your mood. This can be a helpful reminder during times of temptation. Tracking your food and drink intake, such as in an app or by writing it down in a journal can also be helpful. This can help you become more mindful of what you are consuming and reduce mindless eating.
2. Move More
One of the most important weight loss tips is to increase your physical activity. Exercise not only helps you lose and maintain your weight, but it also strengthens your heart, reduces blood pressure, and boosts mood.
The best way to burn calories is to engage in a regular cardio exercise such as walking, but any form of exercise will help you feel better and lose weight. To get the most benefit, aim for about 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. The basic difference between mass vs weight is that mass is the scalar quantity while weight is the vector quantity.
Remember that keeping the weight off requires a balance of diet, movement and behavioral change. Avoid extreme dietary restrictions, such as going vegan or quitting gluten or sugar completely. Instead, make small changes at a time and try to stick with those changes for the long haul.
If you can, try to walk rather than drive to run errands within a mile. If you’re meeting friends, try to meet at a park or a museum, where you can walk around and explore. This will help you burn extra calories and save money on gas.
3. Reduce Your Food Cravings
Cravings are usually triggered by feelings of hunger, but there’s much more to them than that. Research shows that food cravings have a real physical basis, and understanding what causes them can help you break the vicious cycle of eating unhealthy foods.
Restricting calories too much or avoiding certain foods can make the pendulum swing back the other way and increase your urges to eat those foods, especially when you’re emotionally stressed. Rather than restricting certain foods or completely eliminating them from your diet, choose healthier options, eat small portions, and enjoy a few treats from time to time.
If you have a sugar craving, reach for a piece of fruit instead of a cookie or candy bar. This will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing important nutrients and plant compounds, such as fiber.
Another great strategy is to keep unhealthy food out of the house. If you live with other people, ask them to refrain from bringing junk food into the house and stocking your pantry with unhealthy options. Also, try switching to skim milk when you make a smoothie or glass of orange juice. This will save you about 70 calories per cup!
4. Avoid Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks are the number one source of added sugars in our diet. They also contribute empty calories that don’t make you feel full. A single 12-ounce can of soda provides 9 1/2 teaspoons of added sugar and a 20-ounce bottle can provide 16 teaspoons.
Drinking water and choosing non-sugary beverages (such as unsweetened iced tea, coffee or seltzer) can help cut down your total caloric intake. In fact, replacing just 1 sugary beverage with a non-sugary beverage like water or low-fat milk can save you more than 200 calories.
When we consume sugar, it can trigger the release of dopamine, which stimulates the brain’s reward center and causes cravings. This can make us feel like we need more sugar, and it can be difficult to stop the cycle. However, if we stick with a balanced diet that is rich in whole foods, lean protein and healthy fats, we can avoid sugar cravings by eating more satisfying foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats. They are digested more slowly than sugar and can help even out blood glucose levels, so we won’t experience spikes and crashes.
5. Eat Smaller Portion Sizes
Eating smaller portions is one of the best ways to cut back on calories. Large meals and all-you-can-eat buffets can lead to overeating, which can sabotage your weight loss goals.
Aim to fill half of your plate with fruits and veggies, a quarter with protein, and the remaining with carbs at each meal. This is an easy way to reduce your calorie intake without cutting out any foods that you love.
Use smaller plates, bowls, and utensils to help you control your portion sizes. In addition, look for “serving size” information on food labels to learn how much a true serving of that food should be. Using these everyday objects as reminders, or cues, of correct portion sizes may help you eat less at each meal and snack.
Remember, hunger and dieting don’t have to go hand in hand. Plan your meals so you’re never going more than three hours without eating, and have a small healthy snack between each meal to keep the hunger at bay. This is how you can lose weight and keep it off for good!