Losing Weight the Healthy Way
Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese
in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is
predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.
One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks
of being overweight or obese.
Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you
are carrying a lot of extra pounds:
1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension
Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.
The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do
not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which
involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or pills do not
work. If they do, the results are just temporary.
It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide
lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to
lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.
Here are some tips on how
you can lose those unwanted pounds the
healthy way:
1. Do not
starve your self.
The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.
You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on
your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would
not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to
fuel the energy that you use up everyday.
If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored
calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been
provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one
day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs,
buttocks, hips).
2. Start your day
right.
Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the
day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.
Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day
long.
3. Eat small,
healthy meals frequently.
Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty
meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent
over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories
burn faster.
4. Decide on how
much weight you want to lose.
Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible
for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to
eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.
Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and
make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.
5. Drink lots of
water.
Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells
hydrated and healthy.
6. Avoid too much
sugar.
Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice
or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and
protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be
once-in-a-while indulgences only.
7. Watch your fat
intake.
Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your
weight at the proper level.
There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil
have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good
for the heart.
8. Exercise.
Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take
the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use
these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the
gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and
you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with
these mundane activities.
It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is
important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.
Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break
then try to lose the next 5 pounds.
Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This
will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your
health, which would result to a new, healthier you.
|