Weight loss can be an extremely difficult thing for individuals. Weight loss is done through lifestyle changes in exercise and diet, however, doing so healthily is crucial to keep the lost weight off in the future.
The first thing is you can start to incorporate 20-30 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week and as you progress, try shooting for 45-60 minutes and increasing the difficulty in your workouts. Starting off slow in all of your new lifestyle changes will help you slowly progress and change your ways in a positive way. As you start exercising, don’t be afraid to incorporate weight lifting which helps build lean muscles. What this does is increase your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day. Start with light weights and as it gets easier, increase your weights slowly to challenge yourself.
When focused on your diet, start incorporating more fruits and vegetables, slowly cutting down on processed foods. As you eat better, try incorporating foods with higher fiber that help you feel fuller longer. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. By eating these kinds of foods, you won’t feel the urge to eat as constantly and in turn, eat less throughout the day. It can also be beneficial to resist temptations. You do not need to completely remove your sweet tooth or chip cravings, however, limit your moments or control those portions.
When thinking about food, it can be daunting for a lot of people to know they have to eat healthy every meal. There are various ways to combat this. Some individuals like to plan their meals for the week so that they do not spend unnecessary time when they are hungry trying to plan out their foods. Another method is to meal prep your food. This is the same idea however you will not only plan out your meals but also prep the food and have them prepped in containers ready to heat up. The last method is to batch cook in which you do not have to know exactly what you are eating; however, you have prepped in advance in larger quantities your vegetables, meats, cut and washed your fruits, and simply have the healthy foods you may want ready to plan your meal with.
Serving size can be complicated to understand for individuals, however, it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like, you can start to calorie count, however, you must do so in a proper and healthy manner as decreasing your calories too quickly or too low can lead to adverse results. Another way is to take a smaller plate and each meal should be half of your plate with veggies, a quarter of your plate with lean protein, and the last quarter with whole grains. If you end up being hungry for more food, limit your amounts and gravitate towards more vegetables, fruits, or low-fat dairy.
Weight loss management is all about food control, eating when you’re hungry, and choosing when you indulge in your unhealthier options.