I’d give anything to lose weight, but I just don’t know what to do or how to get started?
By Josue Placino
How do you lose weight? Diet and exercise. That’s it. This may sound like an oversimplified solution to a problem that so many Americans face but with a combination of diet and exercise, you are guaranteed to lose weight. Sure there are different diets and exercise programs to choose from; the secret is to find out what works for you. Not every person will respond the same way to nutrition and exercise. As a matter of fact, you can lose weight with only dieting more effectively or exercising more effectively. However, a combination of the two will speed up your results and bring you closer to your weight loss goals.
What do I eat to lose weight? You wouldn’t put low grade fuel into a high performance sports car and expect great performance would you? The same concept applies to the human body. Treat your body with respect by feeding it with nutritious fuel foods and staying away from the junk. Just cutting out the junk completely will help you lose weight. What is junk? If you think its junk food, then it probably is. Common sense tells us to stay away from food high in sugar and saturated fats. You can never go wrong with foods high in protein and fiber. Healthy diets include a balance of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Visit Whole Foods for a list of healthy and weight loss friendly foods.
How often should I eat to lose weight? Think of your metabolism as an on-going campfire. Put too many logs in the fire and you muffle the flame. Put too little and it goes out because there is not enough substance to keep the fire burning. The key is to feed the fire moderately and frequently to keep it burning constantly. 5 to 6 small meals a day will challenge your metabolism and give you a steady stream of energy throughout the day.
How much should I eat to lose weight? Even though you want to lose weight, remember that you have to eat! Completely depriving yourself of calories will cause your body to go into starvation mode. In this state, the body reacts by storing fat more quickly to prepare itself for the next extended fast. When determining your how much you should eat, calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body needs to stay alive. There are a number of different online tools to help you find this number. You can search for a BMR Calculator on almost any search engine. This gives you an important starting point on how to shape your diet plan. Naturally, if you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight.
How can I start exercising to lose weight? If you are new to exercise, it always best to start off slow then increase frequency and intensity over time. If losing weight is your primary focus, then you should place a heavier emphasis on cardiovascular exercises. Brisk walking, bike riding and swimming are great low impact exercises to get your heart rate up and burn calories.
Losing weight should be looked at as a change of lifestyle and not just a short term goal. If you do set a goal, set it to live a healthier life. Losing weight and looking great is a bi-product of having a healthier body.