Losing Weight the Healthy Way
Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2021.
One way to prevent this scenario is for people to be aware of the risks of being overweight or obese.
Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself at risk if you are carrying extra pounds:
1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension
Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.
The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods that involve dietary drinks, foods, and supplements or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.
It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option that will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.
Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:
1. Do not starve yourself.
The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.
You may seem happy and feel that you are losing the unwanted fat around your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up every day.
If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge meal each day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).
2. Start your day right.
It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism. You can also jump-start your metabolism with a cup of warm lemon water upon rising.
Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.
3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.
Five small-serving meals/snacks per day are better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent overeating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster. The key here is to eat, not diet.
4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose.
Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.
Health coaches come alongside their clients to help them lose weight but more importantly dive into why what they have tried before did not work and what habit changes will work for them this time. Set up a free consultation to see how this can work for you.
5. Drink lots of water.
Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy. If you are not a happy water drinker, fruit or lemon to your water to flavor it. Tea counts as water intake as well, just without the sugar.
6. Avoid too much sugar.
Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice, or pasta for that carb fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein-rich foods. Sweets, sodas, and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.
7. Watch your fat intake.
Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.
There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts, and canola oil are healthy fat. Tuna, salmon, and mackerel have omega-3 fats which are good for the heart.
8. Exercise.
Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle, or skate. Use these activities and other home chores if you prefer not to go to the gym. Utilize exercise apps and YouTube videos to take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities.
It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself. The key is not on the scale but how your clothing fits you. The scale number may not change much but the proof is in how you feel and look in your clothes.
Losing weight is a process and there is no magic bullet at least, not one that is lasting. Give yourself grace if you are not losing as quickly as you would like. Slow and steady wins the race.
Eat healthily, drink lots of water, get enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result in a new, healthier you.