Healthy living shouldn’t be a secret or a fad diet. Weight loss requires an open-minded approach that is fueled by self-control, sustainability and factual information. The following tips will provide you with an essential understanding of how weight loss works and inspire you to adopt some healthy habits.
Identify Your ‘Why’
Why do you want to lose weight? Obviously, your first reason should be to live a healthier, longer life. There are many health benefits from losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. The CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) states that a weight loss of just 5% to 10% of your total body weight can result in improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels1. Those improvements alone can help you feel better, avoid chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes or lessen disease progression.
Besides your health, what are your other motivators to lose weight? Is it to keep up with your children or grandchildren’s active lifestyle? Is it to look better for an event like a wedding or reunion? Is it to just feel better about yourself? Make a list of your reasons and revisit them when you face adversity. Place this list in a common area like the refrigerator, pantry or wallpaper on your devices. In addition to being a visual reminder for yourself, this will let others know to be respectful and supportive of your weight loss journey.
Making a commitment to yourself is the first step in your journey.
Set Appropriate Goals
You probably have a certain number of pounds you want to lose in a time frame, or a desired weight you want to achieve by a particular date. Goals are great and definitely a motivator for progress. But they can also be a serious downfall if you set an unrealistic, unobtainable one.
Everyone is unique in their weight loss journey. You can’t base your results on any one else’s. Many sources cite a loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week as a realistic and obtainable goal. The CDC even suggests that losing weight gradually and steadily and this rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week improves your changes of keeping the weight off.1
If your event is this weekend and you’re trying to lose 10 pounds, that’s not realistic. But don’t give up hope! This is a marathon, not a race. Every step toward a healthy weight is progress. If you begin taking steps toward losing weight today, come this weekend, you may not have lost 10 pounds, but you will feel better and be on your way to an obtainable goal.
Get Started
First of all, know that getting started is the hardest step. Making the commitment—even if it’s just a mental one at this point—is a step in the right direction.
Track Your Weight. Weigh yourself in the same place, on the same scale, at around the same time every day. For most people, this is a bathroom scale in the morning. If you aren’t comfortable doing daily weigh ins, record your weight every three to five days to track your progress.
Record What You Eat. It’s not just what you eat, but the amount as well. Weigh/measure and note the amount of the food you plan to eat (or have eaten), including the calories, carbohydrates and fiber values. There are many apps and tools that can help you with this. Some even allow you to scan labels and auto populate with the data. Track other nutritional values that are important to you as well, such as sodium or protein.
Whether the scale is in your favor or not, keeping a record of your daily intake of calories and carbohydrates, as well as a food diary, will be very helpful in identifying trends in your meals and your weight loss.
Plan Your Daily Consumption. First and foremost, don’t think of your path to weight loss as selecting which diet to follow. You don’t have to choose a plan, join a club or buy a membership. Your focus should be on a reduced calorie, nutritionally balanced eating plan. A basic rule of thumb is to take in fewer calories than you expend in a day. Remember that calories count, portions count and nutrition counts.
Reduce Calories. The USDA recommends, on average, a 2,000-calorie a day diet for adults. This can vary based on age, gender and activity level.2 You can use this as a guide and target to set your caloric goal. You can also find calculators online that will help you determine your basal metabolic rate or BMR by entering your age, gender, height and weight. This will tell you how many calories your metabolism expends without any physical exercise. Eating less than this caloric quantity will ensure that you don’t overeat and are on a successful track toward losing weight.
Limit Carbohydrates. In addition to calories, pay attention to your carbohydrate intake. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates should make up 45% to 65% of your total daily calories3. However, it is important to keep your starch consumption moderate to limit the spike in your blood sugar. Try substituting starchy carbohydrates like potatoes and pasta for fiber-rich foods like lettuce, cauliflower, beans, etc.
Prioritize Fiber. An essential way to regulate your blood sugar and feel satiated by your meals is by consuming the recommended amount of fiber each day. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men ages 50 and younger consume 38 grams of fiber daily, and those who are older should aim for 30 grams. Women ages 50 and younger should consume 25 grams of fiber each day and those who are older should plan for 21 grams of fiber.4 Fiber gives you a feeling of fullness, helping you to stop eating to excess. It’s essential to feel satiated following your healthy meals. Losing weight is about eating healthier, not starving yourself.
Avoid Foods with Added Sugars, Saturated Fats. Many people instantly associate a diet with preparing their goodbyes to sweets like candy, soda and ice cream. If you look for reduced sugar, no sugar and low fat options, you can still eat these items in moderation. You can also work in some sweets if you do so in moderation. The USDA recommends limiting foods and beverages with added sugars and saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories per day.5 Can you have a scoop of ice cream? If you’re following a 2,000 calorie diet, reducing it to 1,800 calories per day for a 200 calorie deficit, you can work in a 180 calorie scoop of ice cream every now and then.
The USDA recommends that 85% of calories per day meet the food group recommendations of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein, and the remaining 15% limited to those with added sugars and saturated fat.5 Want to lose weight faster? Skip them altogether and use that deficit of calories, fats and carbohydrates towards your weight loss goal.
Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.5
What About Exercise?
Exercise is often thought to be a mandatory element of a weight loss journey. Going to the gym can be a harder hurdle than simply cutting calories. As it turns out, a healthy diet is the basis to achieve weight loss. Exercise is an enabler to help you burn calories. Food is fuel and physical activity is the engine and a great way to speed up your weight loss results. Don’t feel obligated to dig out those forgotten running shoes or purchase a gym membership; focus on your diet.
That being said, adding physical activity into your day doesn’t have to mean a 4-mile daily jog at 5 a.m.! Focus instead on being more physically active. Park further away from your destination and get in some extra steps. Take a nightly walk around your neighborhood. Take a dance or yoga class. Cleaning the house and yard work also count as calorie burning activities. Find ways to add more activity in your daily routine. The benefits of exercise extend far beyond just weight loss benefits, so while it’s not mandatory in order to lose weight, it is beneficial to your overall health.
Resist Temptation
We all have certain foods and drinks that might not be healthy choices that we don’t want to give up. Just remember, these items aren’t leaving stores anytime soon! You will survive Halloween without a bag of M&M’s. You will make it through Christmas without Aunt May’s fruitcake. Remember, you shouldn’t be about getting rid of the things you love forever, but rather focusing on healthier choices and portion control.
Celebrate Little Wins
Let’s face it. Losing weight takes a lot of self-control and that can be difficult. Celebrate the small wins to maintain morale and dedication. Focus on daily goals, such as tracking calories and carbohydrates in your meals and ensure that they are no higher than the limit you set for yourself. Set small goals and track them in your fitness tracker or smart device. Celebrate walking past the candy bowl without diving in. But when you do celebrate these little wins, don’t do so with food.
Lastly, Have Fun!
Healthy living doesn’t have to be miserable or unpleasant. Be creative and have an open mind. Never tried quinoa before? Maybe you’ll love it! Think sugar free chocolate is impossible to like? There are many options available now that are quite good! You might surprise yourself by what you end up enjoying and what you just don’t miss anymore. With so many resources available today, it has never been easier to find inspiration for crafting healthy meals. Numerous cook books and social media posts can lead you to a recipe that becomes your new favorite. Have fun on your journey and make it your own. Keep a positive attitude and enjoy the feeling of achieving your weight loss goals.
Sources
- Losing Weight. Healthy Weight, Nutrition and Physical Activity. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
- Estimated Calorie Needs per Day by Age, Gender and Physical Activity Level. USDA. https://www.fns.usda.gov/estimated-calorie-needs-day-age-gender-and-physical-activity-level
- How carbs fit into a healthy diet. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/carbohydrates/art-20045705
- Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet. Nutrition and healthy eating. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. USDA. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf#page=50
