Weight Loss Tips

Ask anyone if they have any tips for losing weight and you're likely to be barraged with thousands of suggestions from well-wishers aimed at the latest fad diet, fast, internal cleansing or fashionable way to temporarily lose weight. But, if you talk with your doctor, registered dietitians and exercise specialists, they'll all agree that permanently losing weight depends on getting more exercise, changing your eating patterns and changing the way that you look at life.

Getting More Exercise

• If you've led a sedentary lifestyle for most of your life, adding a dose of daily exercise will seem like an insurmountable challenge. It doesn't have to be. Like all new behaviors, you need to begin slowly and work your way up through a series of obtainable goals.

  Begin by carving out 20 minutes of your day devoted toward exercise and participation sports. Choose something that you enjoy doing, isn't too difficult and that you're likely to be able to stick with. The chart in the link below has a number of good places to start and will tell you how many calories you'll expend for a 30 minute interval.

  A good choice for many is walking. You can walk almost anywhere in any type of weather, even if you're traveling. A 200 lb. man can burn as many as 144 calories in a half hour, walking at 3 mph. Bump up the speed to 4 mph and you'll burn 180 calories.

  After you've been walking for a few weeks, try extending your walking time or distance. Set mini-goals for yourself like, "I'm going to walk all the way to the end of the street before I turn around."

  If you have family or friends that also could benefit from a regular exercise program, ask them if they would like to join you for a daily walk. Making a commitment to others will help to keep you motivated and will make it easier to obtain your goals.

  Try including some light exercises using free weights. While it's likely that you'll never look like a body builder, building metabolically-active muscle is a great way to burn extra calories through the entire day.

Changing Your Eating Habits

• Many people who are overweight got that way because of faulty eating habits. One faulty habit is overeating. It takes the stomach as long as 20 minutes before it realizes it's already satisfied and full before it sends a signal to the brain. If you continue to eat longer, you're probably eating more food than you need.

  Begin with smaller servings, serving yourself a plate from the kitchen. If you're still hungry after you've finished your first serving, it will take extra effort (and time to give it some thought) before you go back for seconds.

  Most weight loss approaches require that you weigh your food and become familiar with its content by reading packaging labels. While the thought of measuring everything before you eat it may not appeal to you, it is possible to estimate accurate serving sizes using objects you're already familiar with. For instance, one pancake serving is about the size of a music CD. An average baked potato is about the size of your fist. An ounce of nuts or candy is equivalent of a handful.

Another Way to Look at Life

• Did you embark on a weight loss program anticipating the things that you're going to lose? If so, try thinking about weight loss in a more positive light by focusing on the things that you're going to gain: more energy, stamina, concentration and fitness. Instead of fixating on becoming thin, look forward to becoming more healthy.

  If you've found that you eat to overcome depression, boredom, anger, lonliness or stress, you may want to look into getting assistance from lifestyle counselor to help you identify triggers that make you eat. Often times, embarking on a postive health and fitness program will make all the difference in the world and give you the pychological boost that you need.