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Ways to Reduce Weight

Reducing your weight will not only help you feel better, but will also make you a healthier person. If you are overweight, losing weight can reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. A number of life changes are shown to make a difference and help you reduce your weight.

  1. Watch Your Foods

    • Reduce the number of calories in your diet. 3,500 calories is equal to one pound of weight. If you want to lose a pound a week, you will need to cut 3,500 calories from your diet. Add lots of vegetables to your diet. Zucchini, tomatoes and cucumbers are all shown to reduce overall calorie consumption according to an article in Reader's Digest. Stay away from foods high in "bad" carbohydrates such as sugar, white rice and white flour. Eat five to six small meals a day rather than three large ones. This helps your body release less insulin which helps control hunger. Portion out snacks such as chips or pretzels rather than eating them straight out of the bag.

    Portion Control

    • Try to eat the majority of your meals at home, where you are less likely to eat high fat and high calorie foods. If you do eat out, ask for a take out container, and remove one-third of the food on your plate as soon as you receive your meal. Use smaller plates and glasses. You'll put less on your plate and be less likely to overeat. Try to stick to plates that are seven to nine inches wide and glasses that are 6 to 8 ounces. If you do have sweets, keep the portions small. Bulk up snack foods with healthy, low fat and calorie accompaniments. For example, have a bowl of fruit with ice-cream or salsa with chips.

    Watch What You Drink

    • Water is the best choice for reducing your weight, but there are some other options if you can't stick to just water. Switching from regular to skim milk will shave off 55 calories. If you can't stay away from soda, switch to diet or at least mix half diet and half regular soda. Drink unsweetened green tea, which helps your body burn calories. Stay away from calorie-laden mixed coffee drinks. Instead, drink regular coffee with skim or nonfat powdered milk. Watch the amount of alcohol you drink since alcohol is high in calories.

    Exercise

    • Add exercise to your daily routine. Buy a pedometer and try to add 1,000 steps a day. Set a goal for the number of steps you want to make each day. Take a walk for at least 45 minutes. 30 minutes will help prevent weight gain, but 45 minutes will help you burn calories and weight. You can ride a bike, play tennis, mow the lawn or do water aerobics to burn calories. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a healthy adult needs at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening activities each week.

    Fun Tips

    • Hang a mirror across from your spot at the table. According to a Reader's Digest article, people eating in front of mirrors ate one-third less food. Write down everything you eat for a week. People generally eat less when they start keeping a food diary. Studies have shown that

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