How to Lose Weight and Be Slim

Losing weight is a process that involves making long-term lifestyle changes to reduce calorie intake in order to lose pounds. In general, to lose weight one must have a 500 calorie deficit per day. While it is often a struggle, weight loss can be achieved with a healthy diet, a rigorous exercise routine and discipline.

Instructions

• 1

  Replace liquids such as iced tea, juice and fruit punch with water; beverages have hundreds of hidden calories. On average, a beverage other than water has more than 150 calories per serving, and drinking multiple servings a day will cause you to add hundreds of unnecessary calories. Water tricks the body into thinking it is full and also flushes the body of toxins that can hinder weight loss. If you need a drink other than water, there are sugar free or zero calorie juices you can purchase as a substitute.

• 2

  Cut back your daily calorie intake to seven calories per pound that you weigh. This means if you weigh 175 pounds, you should eat 1225 calories a day. If you weigh less, your calculation may be very low, but 1050-1200 calories per day is the minimum recommended calorie intake.

• 3

  Eat six meals per day to keep your metabolism running fast. Ideally, you should eat three small, nutritious meals per day, with a snack in between. Each meal should contain protein and a carbohydrate. The protein and carbohydrate work well together because the protein reduces the absorption of the carb, and therefore retains your hunger. Good carb choices include whole grains and low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. Four to eight ounces of protein is the ideal daily portion, which means about 2.5 ounces per meal; six to eleven servings of carbs is recommended per day. Get a serving size listing and measure each meal you eat to ensure the accuracy of your serving sizes.

• 4

  Exercise for faster weight loss. It is not always easy to restrict your diet and exercise can help offset that. If you have not been exercising, begin doing so. Use cardio machines such as the elliptical, treadmill or bicycle to burn 500 calories per day in combination with weight training. If you have already been exercising, take your routine to the next level by increasing the length and intensity of your workout. If you do not have time to exercise every day, consider doubling up your workout by exercising in the morning and evening a few times per week, as opposed to one time per day.

• 5

  Do not crash diet. Crash dieting is short-term, and most people gain the weight back -- sometimes more weight than was initially lost.