How to Lose Fat for Good

Losing fat and keeping it off requires a commitment regardless of the amount of weight you need to shed. If you have been yo-yo dieting trying to get rid of excess fat, it is time to stop the vicious cycle. Instead of taking on the latest fad diet, adjust your lifestyle. Take on enjoyable exercise and realistic eating habits that will help you lose fat and keep it off without feeling deprived.

Instructions

• 1

  Find out which type of cardiovascular exercise you enjoy doing and make it part of your lifestyle. Get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Avoid doing just one type of exercise because this can get boring and can make you stop exercising. Consider group sports or exercise with a friend. Take a step class in addition to other exercise such as walking, swimming, jogging or biking.

• 2

  Make strength training part of your exercise routine because it burns calories while you do it and stimulates your resting metabolism long after you are done doing it. Ask a trainer at the gym for assistance if you find weightlifting machines and free weights intimidating. Learn proper form and include strength training in your workout routine two days a week.

• 3

  Avoid going on a diet because diets give you temporary results. As soon as you start eating normally again, the weight comes back. Integrate healthy eating habits into your lifestyle that you can realistically maintain. Eat healthy snacks such as fruit and raw nuts instead of cookies and chips. Get fiber from complex starches such as whole-wheat pasta, oats and whole-grain bread. Switch to nonfat or low-fat dairy and consume a wide variety of vegetables. Avoid completely depriving yourself of unhealthy foods and eat them in moderation; eat one cookie instead of 10.

• 4

  Learn healthy eating and cooking methods. When eating out, order a salad with the dressing on the side. Ask how your order is prepared and request they leave out any butter, sauce or gravy. Eat half of your restaurant meal and ask to doggy-bag the remainder when restaurant portions are extra large. When cooking, bake, grill, boil, steam or broil your food instead of frying it.

• 5

  Drink at least 64 ounces of water daily to keep your body hydrated. If you are dehydrated you lack energy and get tired fast. Water also helps maintain your digestive health.

• 6

  Get eight hours of sleep daily to avoid sleep deprivation. According to WebMD, lack of sleep affects your hormones; leptin, the hormone that triggers your appetite, goes up, and ghrelin, the hormone that signals your brain that you are full, goes down.

• 7

  Keep track of your new lifestyle in a daily journal. Record which foods and beverages and how much of them you consume. Log the exercise you get on a daily basis. A journal makes you aware of your habits so you can hold yourself accountable for your behavior.