Thursday, July 26, 2012

How to lose weight

How to Lose Weight Safely

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
The weight loss market is overflowing with diet aids that all claim to help you lose weight quickly. Shakes, snacks and pills marketed as appetite suppressants and weight loss programs litter the shelves of most stores today. Unfortunately, the desire to lose weight often causes people to forget that weight loss is most beneficial to the body when it is done in a healthy manner. You can actually lose weight healthily by following some basic steps.

Steps

Evaluate Your Eating Habits
  1. Begin by taking a look at the way you eat. Are you choosing the healthiest options possible for your meals or snacks? Do you eat out at fast food places several times a week? Do you eat a lot of frozen, processed foods or are you eating mostly home cooked meals? All of these factors make a significant difference in your weight loss efforts.
  2. Look at the size of the portions you consume. Are you overindulging every day? A salad may seem like a great way to lose weight, but if you eat far more than you should, it kind of defeats the purpose.
  3. Snack healthily. Do you include a lot of snack foods in your diet and if you do, are they used for the purpose of hunger control or for pleasure? Eating healthy snacks is an effective way to receive added nutrition throughout your day and can be beneficial in helping to lose weight.
  4. Consider the times of day or night when you have the hardest time avoiding junk food snacking. Is it late at night while you sit and watch TV? Do you crave the need for something when you are driving? Knowing what your weak points are will help you plan for ways to alter your eating habits.
Plan Your Meals Wisely
  1. Begin by looking at your schedule for the week. Are there days when you will be able to prepare some healthy meals? Are there several days that are sure to be more hectic than others? Knowing your schedule will allow you to plan for quick healthy meals on your busy days.
  2. Break out the cookbooks and look for ways to substitute healthier ingredients in the recipes. Low-fat cheese will work just as well in a recipe as whole milk cheese without altering the taste or flavor of the recipe.
  3. Check the Internet for easy altered recipes that will help improve your diet. The Internet is loaded with sites that offer valuable information for healthy recipes and substitutes.
  4. Consider the amount of quick meals that will be necessary for the week. Plan out ways to incorporate easy, nutritious meals into those days or healthy grab-and-go snacks. By planning in advance, you can help prevent impulse purchases of less-than-healthy foods.
  5. Incorporate meals that freeze well into your planning. Make twice as much as normal by doubling all of the ingredients that the recipe calls for. Freeze half for a future meal or break it down into single servings to be used as lunch meals.
  6. Shop around at different markets to discover new and unusual foods. Check out stores that cater to different cultures such as Mexican or Indian markets. Browse the organic shop for variations or new options of foods you normally purchase.
Get Moving
  1. Incorporate exercise into your weight loss efforts. Incorporating physical activity into your daily routine will help boost your weight loss efforts. In addition, exercise can have a physiological effect on the body, making you less interested in eating unhealthy foods, which will aid in your weight loss attempt. Burning calories is the best way to avoid weight gain and keep your body in shape.
    • Join a gym.
    • Begin lifting weights.
    • Take up jogging or running.
  2. Make exercise fun. If exercising in a gym is not your thing, try a dance class or team sport instead. You will be more willing to stick to it if it is enjoyable for you. Have fun while you burn those calories away.
  3. Keep in mind that exercise does not have to be rigorous in order to be effective. Take a stroll or ride a bike. Any movement is beneficial in helping with weight control and is necessary for muscle maintenance.
  4. Avoid overtraining. Pushing yourself too hard can create unwanted side effects. Lack of energy, injury, moodiness and reduced immune functioning are just a few results that can occur with overtraining. Your appetite will also be significantly greater if you overtrain, and if you don’t accommodate for that by stocking up on more healthy foods and monitoring your calorie intake carefully, you’re likely to eat too much too quickly after a heavy workout and negate all your extra effort.
Stay Away From Fad Diets
  1. Avoid using the aid of shakes, pills or other diet aids. They may temporarily help you lose weight but your goal is to begin a lifestyle change that incorporates healthy eating as a way of life. A diet can only help you drop your weight for as long as you maintain the diet. Once the diet stops, the weight will slowly sneak right back up on you if you haven’t developed the right habits along the way.
  2. Stay away from cleanses or detoxification programs that are not recommended by your physician. Avoid diets that require you to fast for much of the day. The body needs a certain amount of energy to function properly. Healthy food is energy. Never starve yourself in an attempt to lose weight.

Tips

  • Find snacks that you love that are healthy, such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables, low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, and be sure to stock them in your pantry. Limit yourself to two snacks each day. If you crave more than two snacks, chomp on a piece of gum for a few hours.
  • Don't shop when you are hungry. Have a healthy snack and a glass of water before heading to the grocery store.
  • Try a daily walk. It is a great exercise for weight loss. You can go at your own pace. If you walk with a friend it is mentally uplifting to chat and support each other.
  • Add strength training to your exercise plan to build lean muscle. While aerobic exercise (like walking) helps burn calories, anaerobic (or strength-building) exercise can help boost your metabolism.
  • Add one or two extra vegetables to your evening meal that you would usually not eat. Try new recipes with unfamiliar ingredients to keep your eating plan interesting and fun.
  • Use nonstick cookware or barbeque to limit oils and fats.
  • Clear up left-overs before sitting down to avoid second helpings.
  • Drink lots of water: about 2 litres/day (approx. 64 oz). Drink a glass of water about 20 minutes before dinner to help you feel full.
  • Put your knife and fork down instead of loading it up while you chew. Eating more slowly allows your body to be in time with your brain so that by the time you "feel" full you haven't already over eaten.
  • Measure your loss by how your clothes feel on you and only weigh yourself once every couple of weeks. Take your measurements once a month to judge your weight loss in inches as well as pounds.
  • Avoid processed foods. Anything that comes in a package is usually full of fats, sugars and salts. Know what you're eating in advance.
  • Follow a simple program that includes a easy to follow meal plan, exercise plan and supplement plan. Be sure to stay focus on yourself first, that is what is important. be safe during workout process...

Warnings

  • Speak to a health care professional if you have a medical condition that can be affected by a change in your diet.
  • There is no safe way to lose weight fast (i.e. more than a pound or two per week). You should aim for lifestyle changes that support better eating and add some exercise that is suited to you personally, as recommended by your doctor. Gradual weight loss is better and also tends to be longer lasting in most people.
  • Never resort to starving yourself. This can lead to other health problems and you can end up gaining weight in the long run from trying it.

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Sources and Citations

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