Five Healthy Ways To Lose Weight

Healthy Ways to Lose WeightThere are many healthy ways to lose weight, yet many turn to unhealthy quick fix solutions. Millions of people are classified as overweight or obese in the US and more and more people are piling on the pounds in other parts of the world amongst the developed nations too. In the US, the obesity/overweight rate has been on a steady rise. Obesity rates are expected to reach epidemic proportions in the next decade.

 
Weight loss is not just about fitting into your clothes, looking more attractive or having more energy. For millions of people it is about preventing or controlling diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and arthritis.

 
Weight loss products are being brought out all the time to help people lose weight. Every day you are bombarded with adverts and products promising quick fix solutions to wait loss. There are diet pills, shakes, drinks, supplements and all sorts of potions with promises of melting fat away fast. But most of these products are not healthy ways to lose weight and most simply don’t actually work. Some will work temporarily but the weight will come back. Others like some diet pills have the serious potential to actually ruin your health. Many of these products are only on the market to make money for the manufacturers.

 
There are numerous healthy ways to lose weight fast without putting your health at risk. Real and sustainable weight loss can be achieved by making changes in your food selection, favouring healthier foods, portion control and taking up exercise and generally moving around more. In order for weight loss to occur, you need to burn more calories than you take in. Taking action and following some simple guidelines are quite often is all you need to shed those unhealthy excess pounds. But you must make changes and be consistent.

 
These five simple healthy ways to lose weight will really help if you implement them and stick with them:

  • Don’t go without food. Starving yourself just make s your body think there is a shortage of food so it holds on to the fat for dear life! This is an evolutionary thing where our bodies store fat in times of abundance so it can be used in times of famine. When your body thinks it is starving it holds on to those calories to sustain life. You may lose a little weight when you starve yourself, but this is just water loss, not fat loss.
  • Breakfast like a King. Your mother was right, eating your breakfast will provide you with the nutrition you need after fasting the whole night. Eating breakfast will replenish your nutritional needs, give you energy and keep you full until lunch. Eating your breakfast will jump start your metabolism and burn off calories.
  • Eat smaller meals but more frequently. Five or six small meals throughout the day is better than having two or three large meals. Consuming smaller meals stops you from over eating and ensures your metabolism is revved up with each small meal. When your metabolism increases, you burn calories faster.
  • One of the simplest healthy ways to lose weight is to keep away from sugar. We all eat far too much sugar because it is in so many foods and many of us have a sweet tooth. Keep sweets, cakes and pastries for treats only, and not for regular consumption. Sugar calories just pile on the weight without nutritional benefits. Eat fruit instead when you get a sugar craving. Base your meals on lean protein, beans, brown bread, pasta and rice and lots of vegetables and salads.
  • Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your meals. Trim off excess fat in meat, switch to skimmed and semi skimmed milk and eat less cheese or opt for low fat varieties. Keep away from fried foods and foods containing a lot of vegetable oil. But your body still needs fat, the healthy kind found in olive oil, oily fish like salmon, tuna, nuts and seeds. Fish oils and vegetable oils like flaxseed contain lots of Omega 3 which is very good for your heart.
  • Get moving! Exercise has many health benefits and helps you burn calories. Exercise does not necessarily mean going to the gym every day. Increasing your activity during your normal day will really help in burning more fat. Why don’t you leave the car at home and walk if you are just going to the local shops or picking up your child from school? Ditch the elevator and take the stairs instead. Go for a walk in the park, start jogging, or cycling and you will soon see improvements in your fitness level and you’ll be a few pounds lighter too. But it is essential that you do this on a regular basis, the odd walk once in a while is not going to help much.

These are just some healthy ways to lose weight and keep it off. Steady and permanent weight loss does not lie in quick fixes but in making sensible healthy changes to your diet and being more active. It is important to stick to the changes you make and you will be rewarded with a slimmer and healthier body. Follow these five healthy ways to lose weight for women and for men. Set yourself realistic goals and if you are overcome by temptation, give yourself a break and just start again the next day. Consistency is the key here.

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