Good Way to Lose Weight

Good ways to lose weight include those methods that focus on nutrient-rich foods, a sufficient amount of calories and regular activity. A good, healthy way to lose weight helps you to slowly and gradually drop pounds by using methods that can easily be incorporated into your normal daily routine, decreasing your likelihood of gaining the weight back in the future.

Features

• Successfully losing weight in a good way results from several key factors. First, the diet should not be too strict. An ideal rule of thumb is to follow an 80/20 plan. Eighty percent of your week should be focused on lower calorie, nutrient-rich foods while 20 percent of the week you can incorporate your favorite snacks or sweets in moderation. Many people find that keeping a food diary and recording foods eaten, when they were eaten and how they felt afterwards is helpful to control overeating and snacking out of boredom or stress. Regular exercise is another feature of healthy weight loss. Physical activity burns calories, tones the body and reduces stress.

Types

• You can develop your own eating and exercise plan for weight loss through reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories each day, but do not eat below 1,200 calories daily. Focus your food selection on fresh produce, lean meat and dairy, whole grains such as oatmeal and healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil. In addition, get 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days per week. You can also purchase weight loss books like "South Beach Diet Supercharged" to guide you. You might also consider joining a commercial weight loss group or a support group at your local community center, health department or church.

Time Frame

• The healthiest way to lose weight is to aim for losing one to two pounds per week. Some weeks you may lose more, especially when you are first getting started. If you begin exercise and incorporate strength training, it is possible that the muscle you are building will cause your weight to remain unchanged. This is normal, and your weight will start decreasing after a couple of weeks if you stick to the program. After a month or two, you might experience what is called a plateau where there is no loss for several weeks in a row. When this happens, change up your routine a bit, whether it is eating more of your carbohydrates in the morning or adding five minutes to your exercise time. You will eventually break through the plateau.

Benefits

• Slowly losing weight and incorporating regular exercise decreases the chance that you will gain your weight back later on. Using a diet plan that is focused on a variety of healthy foods ensures you will get all the nutrients your body needs for proper function, such as the antioxidants vitamins E and C and minerals such as calcium for bone health. In addition, allowing yourself to eat the foods you love such as chocolate or red wine in moderation will keep you from feeling deprived and giving up on your weight loss plan. The slow progression of weight loss and the muscle tone gained through exercise will help your body adjust as the pounds come off, making you look more toned and healthy.

Considerations

• When searching for a weight loss plan, avoid those that eliminate an entire food group for an extended period and those that make promises of large amounts of weight loss in a short time. These diets are recognized as fad diets. They might produce short-term results due to water weight loss, but they will not help you keep the weight off for good and are not considered a good way to lose weight. Also, keep in mind that you do not have to follow traditional eating methods to lose weight. Experiment with new foods to find nutrients in ways you are unfamiliar with. For example, instead of meat, get protein from beans or grains like quinoa, or get healthy fat from avocados.