Want To Lose Unneeded Weight? Here’s What You Should Know

The fact that you are here is already the first step to a healthier you. Having that extra, unneeded weight can be annoying, but depending on how much there is, it can lead to an array of health-related issues. You probably know about a bunch of the fad diets out there and may have even attempted to try a few, but the real secret isn’t just one thing. It’s about having a holistic, balanced lifestyle. Here’s what you need to know.

A Colorful Diet

Sometimes people find it much easier to lose weight than they do to keeping it off. This is largely due to diet. No one wants to stick to a strict, heavily restricting diet for the rest of their life. Healthy meals and snacks are the foundation of a human diet, which is why it is important to eat healthily, but still, eat tastily. Create your own meal plans consisting of about 50% fruit and veg, 25% protein, and 25% whole grains. This should be your loose guide, rather than a restricting diet. You should also get about 25–30 grams of fiber per day.

You don’t have to get rid of fatty foods, just replace the type of fatty foods you consume with healthier options. Make sure to minimize trans fats and saturated fats as the overconsumption of these is associated with heart disease. Replace them with monounsaturated fatty acids and other types of unsaturated fats found in things like fish, seeds and nuts, legumes, etc. Avoid processed food where you can, as these tend to be nutrient-poor and high in preservatives.

Food and Weight Diary

People will tell you that a measuring tape can tell you more than a scale can, as we tend to confuse muscle gain with a lack of weight loss, but tracking what you eat and your weight is an important part of successful weight loss. Use an app, or an actual book to record your results. This allows you to understand your body and see trends in behavior after you eat certain things and at certain times of the month, as weight naturally fluctuates.

Eliminate Empty Calories

Sweet drinks like soda, sweetened tea, juice, or alcohol and all known as “empty calories”. This is because they give you all of that extra energy content and have no nutritional benefits. Unless you are having a smoothie or protein shake to replace a meal, you should stick to drinks that are unsweetened. If you find yourself skipping meals when told to eat lunch, go now and make some smoothies, as they are a great way to get in a quick, but nutritious meal. On the other hand, if you find you feel peckish between meals, drink some water and go back to doing what you were doing. We very commonly mistake a lack of hydration for hunger. If you find that you are still hungry, make yourself a small snack.

Regular Physical Activity

Regular exercise is a really important part of physical and mental health. When you increase the amount of exercise you do in a purposeful way you will lose weight. A simple hour of moderate-intensity activity per day is all it takes. This can be something as simple as a purposeful, quick walk. It is just something to get your heart pumping, blood flowing, and oxygen around your body.

If you are not usually a physical person, you don’t need to dive in headfirst. Slowly increase the intensity of your exercise so that it becomes a regular part of your lifestyle. A great way to motivate you to exercise is to download a fitness tracker app or to get a fitness tracker device. I personally love my fitness tracker as it has a heart rate monitor and can give me even more information about how I am progressing. If a full exercise scares you, why not consider taking the stairs, gardening, doing something outdoors, even dancing, like Zumba. If you don’t like the idea of going to a gym or a class with other people, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that can provide you with the dance class experience right from your living.

Portion Control

If you are eating a healthy diet and still seem to be picking up the weight, you are probably guilty of this. Eating too much of anything, even low-calorie foods can cause you to gain weight. Avoid “guesstimating” and start measuring out portions. You can use measuring cups or serving sizes as a guide to how much you should be eating. When you guess, you end up eating more than you need and possibly even want.” But sometimes people find it difficult to control their appetite and eat less even if they measure their portions. In this case, medical weight loss treatments can be quite helpful options for reducing appetite and keeping you full for a longer period of time.

It is important that you stay positive while trying to find the balance. Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight and needs to be nurtured. Be kind to yourself and keep yourself motivated.