Successful Low Calorie Diets

Losing weight is never easy. The concept is simple enough--eat fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your weight, and the pounds will drop off--but the execution is not as easy. Take a few steps to eliminate calories and burn off more with exercise and you will find success with your low-calorie diet.

Cutting Calories

• A successful diet plan should not cut calories too drastically. Fad diets often cut calories to such low levels that the body slows metabolic rates, making weight loss very difficult. A successful low-calorie diet should only cut about 500 calories from the amount needed to maintain your current weight. This will result in a 1 lb. weight loss in a week without the addition of exercise.
  By not cutting calories so drastically, you will have a much greater chance of success. A very low-calorie diet is difficult to maintain over a long time period. You will lose weight on these programs, but you will not be able to maintain the program for very long.
  For the first couple of weeks, monitor the calories you are currently consuming. You will begin to see that you eat roughly the same amount to maintain your weight. A food journal helps to keep track of the foods you are eating and provides a good starting point for cutting out the extra calories.
  Meal planning is essential in the beginning of a low-calorie diet. Plan the meals you will eat for the first week and make sure they total 500 fewer calories than normal.
  A low-calorie diet for weight loss should include 30 percent of your daily calories from lean sources such as chicken or fish, and another 30 percent from healthy fats such as olive or canola oil. Avoid trans fats as much as possible. This type of fat is used in many processed foods. Look for hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredients labels to identify trans fats. The final 40 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates. The best choices for carbs are fruits and vegetables, but make sure you include some whole grains for fiber in your weight loss program. For a healthy diet, avoid processed foods and foods made from white flour and refined sugar.

Exercise

• Exercise can allow you to add a few more calories to your eating plan. By including a good exercise program in your daily schedule, you will burn more calories and lose more weight. Remember to keep your weight loss limited to only 1 or 2 lbs. per week. One pound of weight is lost for every 3,500 calories. This is the best way to maintain your loss.

Healthy Habits

• A successful low-calorie diet becomes a way of life. Consider making your new diet plan the way you eat for a lifetime. Developing healthy habits is never easy, but it is well worth the effort. Successful weight management requires constant vigilance about the foods you eat and the amount of exercise you get every day. Losing weight is good for your appearance and can help you fend off health problems later in life. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day and plan your daily snacks to help your low-calorie diet plan.