How to Lose Weight & Gain Vitality

If your goal is to lose weight, your task is to burn up more calories than you consume. You may decide to burn up additional calories by increasing your activity levels and cutting back on the food you eat. While this strategy will help you lose weight, you may also notice a drop in your energy levels. However, with some changes in your lifestyle and food selection, you can lose unwanted pounds and actually increase your vim and vigor. Consult with your health care provider before making changes to your diet and overall lifestyle.

Instructions

• 1

  Reduce the amount of calories you consume each day. Keep a food diary for two weeks and determine your average daily calorie intake. There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so by reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories each day, you will lose one pound each week. It is important to not cut your calorie intake too drastically, as it may negatively affect your energy levels. Concentrate on consuming foods that are not are not dense with calories, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are also high in complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide your body with prolonged energy, which will help sustain you while you are losing weight. Avoid animal fats, as they are high in calories and unhealthy for your heart. Cut all visible fat from meat, consume only fat reduced dairy products and avoid deep fried foods.

• 2

  Perform a minimum of 30 minutes of low to moderate aerobic exercise, five days a week. According to The American College of Sports Medicine, you may have to increase your aerobic exercise to between 60 and 90 minutes daily if you are trying to lose weight. To perform aerobic exercise, you need to keep your heart rate in a target zone for at least 20 minutes during each exercise session. To determine your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220, and multiply the result by between 50 and 85 percent. Low intensity aerobic exercise should be performed at the lower end of the target heart rate range. According to the American Council on Exercise, lower intensity aerobic exercise burns a higher percentage of calories from fat, than higher intensity aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise can help you gain vitality as you lose weight by improving the efficiency of your heart and lungs, and improving your oxygen transport system. Examples of low to moderate aerobic exercise are brisk walking, cycling and jogging.

• 3

  Lift weights, or perform resistance training at least two days a week. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you should perform a set of 8 to 12 repetitions of 8 to 10 strength training exercises. Strength training increases your energy levels while you lose weight by changing your body composition. Your body fat levels will decrease, and be replaced by lean muscle tissue. Muscle cells are the primary energy cells of your body.

• 4

  Sleep a minimum of seven to nine hours each night. When you exercise regularly, your body needs time to recover, and repair itself. Lack of sleep may impair your mental functions and your energy levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, lack of sleep can also adversely affect your immune system.