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Loss of Weight
What is the best way to lose weight?
There is no "best" way to lose
weight. Don't forget to talk with
your doctor about setting up a
weight loss plan.
Some general guidelines for losing
weight safely are:
Eat fewer calories. The best formula
for losing weight is to decrease the
number of calories you get while
increasing your physical activity
every day. Depending on how active
you are, you may need between 1,500
— 2,500 calories a day. A safe plan
is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories
a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
Lose weight slowly. It is best to
aim for losing 1/2 to 2 pounds a
week. By improving eating and
exercise habits, you will develop a
healthier lifestyle. And, this will
help you to control your weight over
time. You will also lower your
chances of getting heart disease,
high blood pressure and diabetes.
"Crash" diets may take off pounds
faster, but can cause you to gain
back even more pounds than you lost
after you stop the diet.
Exercise. Get active for at least 30
minutes every day. You don't have to
train for a marathon to be active!
Brisk walking, gardening, riding a
bicycle, tennis and dancing all
count as exercise. You can also
break up the 30 minutes into three
10-minute periods. To get even more
active every day, you can do things
like park farther away from the mall
in the parking lot and take the
stairs instead of the elevator. The
idea is to use up more calories than
you eat each day. This will keep the
calories from being stored as fat in
your body.
Eat less fat and sugar. This will
help lower the number of calories
you eat each day. Select foods whose
labels say low, light or reduced to
describe calories or fat, including
milk products and cheese. Eat lean
types of meat, poultry, and fish.
Eat less sugar and fewer sweets
(don't forget that soda and juice
can have lots of sugar). Drink less
or no alcohol.
Eat a wide variety of foods,
including starches and dairy
products. This helps your body to
get the nutrients and vitamins it
needs to be healthy. Include plenty
of vegetables, fruits, grain
products and whole grains each day.
Don't skip dairy products — there
are many good tasting low, no, and
reduced fat milks, yogurts, cheeses,
ice creams, and other products to
choose from. Proper calcium intake
is needed for all women to prevent
bone loss.
Starch is an important source of
energy that all bodies need, even
when a person is trying to lose
weight. It is found in foods like
potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, beans,
and some vegetables. Foods high in
starch can become high in fat and
calories when you eat them in large
amounts, or when they are made with
rich sauces, oils, or other high-fat
toppings like butter, sour cream, or
mayonnaise. Stick to starchy foods
that are high in fiber, like whole
grains, beans, and peas.
Practice portion control. Eat
smaller amounts of food at each
meal. Let go of belonging to the
"clean plate club." Don't feel like
you have to eat everything on your
plate, even when eating out. You can
also try eating more small meals
throughout the day, rather than
three large meals.
Get support. It can be hard to start
a weight loss program, particularly
if you are out of shape and not used
to exercising. Ask your family and
friends for support. Try to find an
exercise buddy. Make your activity
fun and social — go on a walk or
hike with a friend or learn a new
sport like tennis or ice-skating.
Treat yourself (once in a while).
When trying to lose weight, we all
feel tempted to "cheat" by eating a
favorite, rich food like cake or
cookies. But, sometimes it can be
helpful to eat a small amount of a
favorite food. This may keep you
from craving it and overeating if
you do "cheat."
Content Courtesy : www.4woman.gov
The information provided herein
is intended for your general
knowledge only and is not a
substitute for medical advice or
treatment for specific medical
conditions. The information should
not be used during any medical
emergency or for the diagnosis or
treatment of any medical condition.
A licensed physician should be
consulted for diagnosis and
treatment of any and all medical
conditions |
