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The Best Ways to Slim Down

Some people place too much importance on weight and appearance; many others should pay more attention to the subject. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34 percent of the U.S. population over 20 in 2008 were obese and another 34 percent were clinically overweight. You are not alone in wanting sound advice on ways to slim down and live a healthier, longer life.

  1. Your Diet

    • WebMD recommends a balanced diet that is low in saturated fats as a major component to losing weight. Though they add up to fewer calories -- between 1,000 and 2,000 calories for most women and 1,200 to 1,600 calories for most men -- good diets still contain recommended daily allowances of the proteins, minerals and vitamins your body needs to function healthily. With dieting alone, an average of 1 or 2 pounds is lost every few weeks, states WebMD. Check with your doctor anytime you plan to begin a new weight-loss program, especially if supplements are involved. Stick to small portions of food that are less fatty and starchy but higher in fiber, and eat more frequently throughout the day. Stop snacking at night. Eating during the day gives your body a chance to fully digest and burn food away before shutting down for the night.

    Pushing Your Body

    • Though over-exertion is a possibility for anyone, it is more dangerous for someone with a medical condition like obesity or heart disease. Exercise within the parameters of your doctor's recommendations, but remember you must exercise. Alternate between increasingly strenuous cardiovascular and weight-training exercises to burn calories now and later, when more muscle mass is formed. Get a pedometer and try to increase the steps you take every week. Get an exercise buddy to push you on days you are feeling tired. When building muscle, work "pushing" muscles like the chest, triceps and the front of the legs on one day, and pulling muscles like the back, biceps and hamstrings the next. On the third day rest or just do cardio.

    Change Your Lifestyle, Flexibly

    • If you are following a weight loss program that includes a regular exercise regimen, expect to lose at least an extra pound or two every week. Part of these successes depend on how regularly you exercise and how you calculate your menu choices. Still, "Women's Health" magazine notes that a study in the "International Journal of Obesity" found that dieters who chose plans that allowed for more flexibility, like the eating of favorite foods, had broader success rates than regimented plans.

    Be Patient, Realistic

    • Before setting out on a new plan, try to get in the right frame of mind. Experts agree that the best way to slim down is to stick with your plan. Patience greatly benefits the creation of a new lifestyle, which is needed to keep the pounds off. Follow the tips of health experts, who agree that eating fewer calories during the day, in increments every three hours, keeps the body's metabolism active to burn an optimum amount of calories.

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