How to Lose Weight for Wellness

For many people, the term "dieting" carries unpleasant connotations of starvation or dreary, tasteless meals that aren't filling. In truth, changing one's diet to lose weight doesn't have to mean starving oneself or eating boring food at all. Rather, the trick to guaranteed and long-term weight control is in burning more calories than you take in. This is achieved by eating reasonable-but-filling portions of lower-calorie foods, and burning off more calories than you've consumed through regular exercise. Unfortunately, many people tend to obsess over the diet aspect of a weight loss program, often at the expense of important calorie-burning activity.

Instructions

• 1

  Reduce or eliminate high-fat foods, processed foods and foods high in sugar and high-fructose corn syrup from your diet. Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains (particularly whole grains), low-fat dairy products, and nuts and seeds. Meat eaters trying to lose weight should stick to lean cuts of meat, avoid eating meat more than once a day, and accompany servings of meat with vegetable and grain foods.

  Include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?

• 2

  Exercise portion control. Avoid having seconds of whatever you're eating, and keep your caloric intake at every meal within the guidelines for your height and body weight. You should be taking in fewer calories than you're burning.

• 3

  Drink eight 8 oz. glasses of fresh, clean water daily. Having water in your system throughout the day will help you feel fuller, and will prevent you from reaching for a sugary, high-calorie soda or carb-heavy beer.

• 4

  Begin an exercise routine that incorporates both weight-training and cardio workouts. Engage in 30 minutes to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity at least four days a week, with equal attention given to both weight-lifting and aerobic exercise. This will help increase your metabolism, causing your body to burn calories both during and after your workouts.

• 5

  Incorporate more physical activity into your daily life outside of workout routines. Examples include engaging in vigorous housecleaning, lawn work, riding a stationary bike while watching TV, riding a bike for fun and recreation, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking short walks during work breaks.