How to Reverse Weight Gain

Reversing weight gain can be a challenge, because it may not be obvious at first why you've been gaining weight in the first place. The first thing to do is analyze your habits to see why the weight gain might be happening. Consider whether you've been working long hours, been stressed or have started taking a medication; any of these can contribute to weight gain, and if you can change any of them, your weight could start going down again. If, however, you've simply been exercising less or eating more, then you'll need to change your lifestyle to reverse your weight gain.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil and paper, or online journal
• Water
• Healthy food
• Workout shoes and clothing

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Instructions

• 1

  Record everything you eat and drink for at least a week, either on the computer or using the paper and pencil. A study from the University of Kentucky and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, showed that people who wrote down everything they consumed lost more weight than those who didn't write down their food intake. This could be because when people write down what they eat, they become more motivated to eat better.

• 2

  Drink more water. In a clinical trial at Virginia Tech, people who drank two glasses of water before every meal lost up to five pounds in three months, even if they changed nothing else in their diets. This is because water fills people up, and often when they think we're hungry, they're actually thirsty.

• 3

  Eat more fruits and vegetables. Filling up on fruits and vegetables can lead to weight loss because they have more water and fiber in them than grain products and meat, so they fill you up as well as contain fewer calories.

• 4

  Exercise. Whether you prefer walking, cycling or an aerobics class, aim for 45 minutes of exercise six days per week. This is more than the usually cited 30 minutes per day; according to the American College of Sports Medicine, 30 minutes a day will merely help you maintain your weight. If your goal is to lose weight, then you will probably need to exercise for more than four hours per week.