The best way to lose weight is to design a program adapted to your current situation instead of following a weight loss method created by someone else. Read this article to find out what makes a weight loss method efficient.
Start by figuring out how many calories you need in a day. Your recommended intake will depend on your age, gender, size and how active you are. Keep in mind that exercising regularly does not really impact your recommended intake. You can either use an online calculator or meet with a nutritionist to figure out how many calories you need. You do not need to eat foods that add up to the exact number of calories you need, but do your best to get as close to this number as possible. You can get an idea of how many calories you are eating by checking the labels of the foods you buy and by using an online calculator that gives you an approximate caloric value for different kind of foods.
It will be easier to follow your weight loss program if you plan all your meals in advance. You will be less likely to go to a fast food restaurant if there is a healthy meal ready to eat in your fridge. Cook large quantities of a healthy dish and freeze some small portions so you can have healthy lunch for work. Go grocery shopping more often and take the time to browse through the fruit and vegetable aisle. You should check the labels of everything you buy and avoid foods with a high amount of fat, sugar or preservatives.
Follow a strict schedule for your meals. You should eat at the same time everyday and have a small healthy snack between meals if you need to. Eating at the same time everyday is the best way to make sure you have enough time to digest and do not overeat because you are hungrier than usual. Take your time when you eat so you can stop before you get full. Put less food on your plate if you tend to overeat. If going through your day without snacking is hard, eat a fruit, some nuts or try having five smaller meals instead of three.
Develop your own fitness program to burn the fat you need to lose and tone your body. If you are out of shape, it is important that you start very slowly. Exercise twice a week for about thirty minutes and do some exercises designed to strengthen your core muscles such as abs or crunches. Try doing more reps of the same exercises, adding new exercises and working out more frequently. Explore different cardio workouts once you are in better shape and target other muscle groups to lose weight in specific areas.
These weight loss methods will help you get in shape if you are ready to give them a try. If you are not sure about where you should start, schedule an appointment with your doctor or with a nutritionist.
