How to Lose Weight Comfortably

Weight loss is a complex balancing act of exercise and caloric intake. While your metabolism influences most of the body's energy needs, the type of foods and beverages consumed and the amount of physical exercise determine your weight. Fad diets promise quick weight loss, but once the diet program ends, the weight comes back. This is often referred to as yo-yo dieting. Weight loss happens when calories are reduced and physical activity is increased. Once you have an understanding of how the body works, building a healthy weight loss plan will be the key to success.

Instructions

• 1

  Set a goal of how much weight you want or need to lose, being as realistic as possible. Setting a time frame tends to cause stress when a targeted weight loss is not achieved. Ideally, losing weight slowly, 1 to 2 lbs. per week, will help maintain weight loss long-term.

• 2

  Create a diet or healthy eating plan. This would include a variety of foods from all the major food groups: fruits and vegetables, dairy products, lean meats or protein, nuts, cereals and grains.

• 3

  Eat smaller and more frequent meals. Portion control is also an important aspect of losing weight. Smaller, more frequent meals increase your body's metabolic rate, causing calories to burn faster.

• 4

  Develop an exercise program you can incorporate into your daily routine. Busy lifestyles do not leave a lot of extra time for a visit to the gym on a daily basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, aim for 30 minutes of any structured exercise or activity, like walking, that can be done daily.