Many young people want to lose weight. Amazingly, that's an achievable target. With the right diet, habits, and exercise, your weight can be controlled. Don't let yourself despair because health and fitness is part of science so we can predict the outcome. While it's a good idea to see a doctor or a specialist if you're not sure what kind of changes you should make to your diet and exercise routine, there are ways to take care of your weight personally.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Understanding the Concept
Step 1. Write a food journal
According to research, people who keep a food journal lose 2.5 kg more than those who don't. Write down all the foods you eat, even snacks. You can use a diet monitoring app on your smartphone which may be less of a hassle.
- Know the number of calories you must consume each day to lose weight. The more aware you are of the number of calories you are consuming, the easier it will be to consume the right number of calories. Take your food journal and look up the calorie content of each food you eat. Monitor the number of calories you consume and add them up to find out your daily calorie consumption. The standard in America is 2,000 calories per day, but everyone needs a different number of calories.
- Be careful. Write down everything, including drinks, seasonings, and an explanation of how the food is cooked. Don't pretend you didn't eat ice cream after dinner. If it enters the stomach, the food and drink must be recorded.
- Be Honest. Record meal portions in your food journal. Don't eat too little or too much, monitor it. Also read your list of ingredients so you can calculate the portions accurately. Many diet monitoring apps allow you to scan a product's bar code or search for a food from the correct database that can tell you the number of calories a food has per serving.
- Be consistent. Take your food journal with you wherever you go.
- Analyze your food journal. Observe what foods you eat most often, then most importantly, when you consume excess calories.
Step 2. Burn more calories than you consume
The only sure way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn throughout the day. Sounds easy, but it takes hard work and consistency. That means you have to pay attention to diet and exercise. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy, you have to start exercising. Plan for at least half an hour of exercise two or three times a week.
- Talk to a dietitian, doctor, or exercise teacher about the number of calories you should consume each day based on your age and body type before cutting back on calories.
- Monitor your energy consumption in calories each day. Pedometers, or other weight loss monitoring tools and apps, can make your monitoring easier. It can help you keep track of how many calories you've used.
- Estimate calories more than you should, estimate activity less than you should. Recent research estimates that we tend to eat more than the amount we can monitor in a day. Keep that in mind and it might help you to account for the difference in the number of calories you consume.
- Set small goals. Instead of thinking you have to cut 500 calories, try 100 or 200 calories first.
Step 3. Create a meal plan and commit to it
Decide what you're going to eat this week so you don't have to stand in front of the fridge and decide what you want. Buy healthy ingredients to cook the food you want to eat and plan your meals based on the number of calories. There are many sites online that offer healthy recipes to help you lose weight.
- Be realistic. If you eat out a lot, don't try not to eat out at all. Instead, plan to eat home-cooked meals five to six times a week.
- Try to avoid eating too late. Set your dinner time and make it clear to yourself not to eat after that time.
- Cut back on snacks. If you can't, choose a healthy snack. Healthy vegetables with guacamole, nuts without salt, popcorn without oil, salt, and butter, or fruit can be good snacks if you want to lose weight.
- Have fun once in a while. Promise yourself that if you're going to stick to his diet for six weeks and get some exercise (if that's one of your goals), you'll make yourself happy by going to a restaurant once a week.
Step 4. Drink more water
Water has the dual effect of preventing your body from becoming dehydrated and filling your stomach with fluids that don't contain calories. Although there is no exact amount to drink, everyone needs a different amount of water. The recommended amount varies from 8 to 15 glasses per day.
- Water can make you feel full, thereby eliminating false feelings of hunger.
- Drinking water half an hour before eating can reduce your calorie consumption
- Research shows that people who follow a weight loss program who drink more lose weight more than those who don't.
- Bring a water bottle.
Method 2 of 4: Lose Weight with Diet
Step 1. Bring your own lunch
Usually lunch in the canteen is not very healthy or low in fat. So that the food in the cafeteria does not interfere with your efforts to lose weight, bring your own lunch.
- Pack a simple lunch in a plastic bag.
- Buy lunch boxes and thermos to keep your food and drinks warm.
- Pair it with a bento lunch.
- If you have to buy food at the cafeteria, buy a salad instead of a pizza. If no one is selling salads, try to limit your portions.
Step 2. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
Fruits help satisfy your cravings for sweets thanks to their natural sugar content. Fresh vegetables make you full faster. Fruits and vegetables contain fiber which helps you feel full longer. Try some of these tips to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet:
- Eat fruits that are in season as a snack or dessert. When you eat durian or salak in season, it will taste like an indulgent main course. Chop the celery, carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, and add a light dressing or hummus.
- Eat vegetables as a main course. For example, you can make a full salad or stir-fry vegetables and add cooked chicken, salmon, or almonds.
- You can eat fruit or vegetables between meals to control hunger.
Step 3. Eat more whole grains and less simple carbohydrates
Whole-grain breads, oatmeal, whole-grain pastas, sweet potatoes, and brown rice are good sources of energy and nutrition. When paired with the right proteins and vegetables, whole grains are an excellent source of nutrition.
- Simple carbohydrates include plain bread, refined flour, and sugar. It gives you energy quickly, while leaving you limp in the end. It turns into fat quickly.
- Replace wheat flour with wheat flour if you want to bake. You may have to add a developer. Add jali to soup instead of rice, or you can try pilaf with jali, jungle rice, or brown rice.
- Avoid processed foods such as white bread, pasta or suji crackers, or synthetic sugars such as candy, sugary drinks, and dessert snacks.
Step 4. Choose fats that are good for your body
Such fats, such as those from nuts and olives, help you feel full longer. Unsaturated fats have many health benefits, and when eaten in moderation, they can help you lose weight. Pay attention to the following phrases on product labels: “unsaturated fat”, “monosaturated fat”, or “polyunsaturated fat”. It's a good fat.
- Avoid saturated fats because they can increase your appetite and have a bad impact on your body, especially on your cholesterol and your heart. Fast food is usually high in saturated fat and contributes to bad eating habits.
- Beware of salad dressings and vegetables (especially mayonnaise-based cream sauces such as ranch dressing) as they are usually high in fat.
- Avoid fast food and drinks that contain a lot of cream. It tends to contain high levels of unhealthy fats.
Step 5. Choose lean, rather than fatty, protein sources
Protein is important for maintaining organ function and building muscle if you plan to exercise. There are various sources of protein, but the downside is that sometimes protein contains unhealthy fats.
- Choose beef or lean ground beef if you want to eat red meat.
- If you like chicken, remove the skin.
- Avoid fatty ready-to-eat meats such as bologna and salami. Opt for lean beef or turkey instead.
- Vegetarians can get protein from soybeans, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Lentils, legumes, and legumes are good sources of fiber and protein.
- Consumption of low-fat dairy products as a source of protein, including cheese and low-fat milk, and nonfat yogurt.
Step 6. Reduce the use of salt
Consuming large amounts of sodium makes your body reserve water which can cause you to feel bloated and heavier. The good news is that the extra weight will come off along with the sweat. So, an easy way to lose weight is to consume less sodium in your diet.
- Instead of salt, try seasoning your food with chili powder, fresh salsa, or cajun herbs and spices.
- Some people believe that unsalted food will eventually taste saltier if you reduce your salt intake and allow your taste buds to adjust.
- Be wary of foods that contain a lot of cheese as they are usually very salty.
Step 7. Eat at home
Eating out makes it easier for you to cheat. Food sold in restaurants is usually higher in fat and sodium, as well as other ingredients that prevent weight loss. The portions are sometimes even larger than home-cooked meals. Instead of eating out, try to cook your own food.
- Have dinner with parents. Several studies have shown that children who don't eat dinner with their parents at least twice a week are 40% more likely to be overweight.
- Don't eat while doing other things. Watching television or movies, reading, playing video games, or studying while eating often leads people to overeat than usual. So, don't buy salty and buttery popcorn if you want to watch a movie. You can eat too much.
Step 8. Make sure you don't feel hungry
By eating small portions throughout the day at regular intervals, you can prevent hunger pangs. Between meals, eat snacks that contain 150 calories to stave off hunger pangs and prevent you from overeating at mealtimes. Make sure you don't eat high-fat snacks like candy or potato chips. When you are hungry, your body conserves calories and slows down your metabolism.
Research shows that increasing the frequency of eating may not help increase the body's metabolism
Step 9. Don't skip meals
Many people think that skipping meals helps you lose weight. However, when you skip meals, your body stops breaking down fat and starts breaking down muscle tissue. So you have to be careful of diets that include skipping meals.
Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than any other tissue, so you're actually hitting your own target
Step 10. Be sure to have breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is not only important to provide energy to welcome the morning, but also an important part of losing weight.
- A high-protein breakfast is not only more filling in the morning, but also makes you less hungry in the afternoon. Aim to eat 35 grams of protein in the morning so that you feel fuller throughout the day.
- Eat healthy cereal for breakfast. A study showed that people who ate cereal for breakfast every day lost weight more easily than those who ate other foods. Start your day off right by eating natural, nutrient-dense, high-fiber cereal or oatmeal.
- Drink low-fat milk. The lower the fat content in the milk you drink, the more calories you lose, which is 20% of the total calories. Drinking low-fat milk is a great way to cut the number of calories you consume without sacrificing nutrition.
Method 3 of 4: Exercise
Step 1. Start by walking
Taking a walk in the neighborhood costs nothing and is a good way to get started. That can help burn more calories than you take in. You can also try low-risk sports such as swimming, cycling, or slow running. If you have a dog, you can volunteer to walk your dog. Taking your dog for a walk is a good way to make sure you get regular exercise.
- Buy a pedometer. Attach the pedometer to the belt and try to achieve certain goals that you set yourself.
- Take the path with a beautiful view. Walk a little further than usual as often as possible. It can increase your travel distance. If you usually turn left on certain roads, you can turn right to walk a little further.
- Try not to drive as much as possible.
Step 2. Play a video game that gets you moving
D. D. R. (Dance Dance Revolution), WiiFit, and some virtual reality games can get you moving quite a bit. If you're looking for a fun way to exercise, consider playing an action video game. It can make you forget that you are exercising.
Step 3. Try using the machine at the gym or at home
You can use a treadmill, elliptical machine, stationary bike, rowing machine, or climbing machine. Start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration of your workout as your body gets fitter. Also use the settings on the machine to increase the intensity of your workout as you lose weight.
- Use a variety of machines until you find the right one.
- Consult a personal trainer, or one of the instructors to make sure your posture is correct. Improper posture can cause injury.
Step 4. Take an aerobics class
You can take a traditional aerobics class or try any type of motion-based exercise. It's a great way to keep yourself motivated in a group, have fun while moving, and lose weight. Try the following exercises:
- Kickboxing
- Ballet
- Cross-country sports
- Yoga
- Martial arts
- Cross-fit
- Zumba
Step 5. Try doing strength training
Exercising large muscle groups burns more calories, increases metabolism, and helps you lose weight, especially body fat. As your body's muscle mass increases, your body needs more energy to continue developing those muscles. This small, but constant increase in energy consumption can lead to weight loss over time.
- Make sure you increase the load each time, and consult a trainer or physical therapist to be safe.
- Do squats with dumbbell presses to work your lower body and upper body at the same time.
- Do resistance exercises while sitting or leaning on an exercise ball. You will strengthen your core muscles (core) while working the other parts.
- Rest at least a day between strength training so your body can recover and you don't overtrain or get injured. Severe sports injuries can last a lifetime.
Step 6. Find a fun sport
If you find exercise boring, try to find a fun activity to enjoy that gets you moving. Look for in-house competitions or sports at your university or catch up with friends for an occasional game of catch and catch.
- If you don't like competitive sports, you can do something you can do on your own. Swimming, golfing, or hiking can be options, instead of playing ball or tennis.
- Buy a bicycle if you want to walk and exercise at the same time. Don't spend time sitting in the car, even though you can burn calories.
Method 4 of 4: Keeping Motivated
Step 1. Trick yourself into eating smaller portions
While doing this alone won't make you lose weight, it can be a useful trick to guide you on the right path. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into limiting your calorie consumption.
- Reduce up to three chews while digesting food.
- Put down your knife and fork while you are chewing.
- Use a smaller plate and fill the plate only once.
- Don't eat until you're really hungry. Don't eat snacks when you're bored.
- If you do occasionally eat something like potato chips, take a small portion and put it on a plate. Remove the rest and you should only eat what is already on the plate.
Step 2. Try creative ways to manage yourself when you want to eat something
Learning to control your urge to eat that big piece of cake or greasy hamburger is possible, with the help of a little creativity.
- Smell the fresh fruit cravings for a snack instead of something.
- Close your kitchen between meals, especially after dinner.
- Don't keep snacks high in fat and/or sugar at home.
- Some studies show that the color blue can suppress appetite. Try using a blue tablecloth or blue tableware.
- Wear a rubber band on your wrist and snap your wrist when you want to eat something. Over time, you will form an association between feeling sick and wanting to eat something.
- Chew gum. Chewing gum can suppress your appetite, thus helping you lose weight. Look for sugar-free gum to avoid added calories or tooth decay.
- Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine can not only increase energy when you feel weak, but also can suppress your appetite.
Step 3. Work with friends
You can commit to losing a certain amount of weight within a set timeframe on the condition that you'll treat them if it works. You might like the “Biggest Loser Club” you made with your friends. Support from groups can help monitor weight loss goals.
Step 4. Reward yourself once in a while
If you're going to a pizza party with friends or going to a birthday party, treat yourself to a treat. However, you have to make sure that it doesn't become a daily habit. It can also serve as a small boost to spur you on to keep trying.
- Try to use gifts that are not food. When you succeed in one of the diet and exercise programs or plans, reward yourself. Go to a ball game or movie with friends or get a manicure or massage when you hit a small goal. Buy that new t-shirt you've been wanting for a long time if you've managed to lose a pound this week.
- Don't let neglect make you lose focus on your diet and exercise patterns. Refocus, even if you were negligent for a day or two.
Tips
- When you want to eat, try to cook your own food as often as possible. It lets you know exactly what you're eating.
- Losing weight should be a satisfying experience, not an excruciating one. If you feel like your current plans are overwhelming you, you can change them. If you continue, you can experience severe physical and mental problems.
- Do not be tempted by weight loss pills or other lure that promises fat loss. There are no shortcuts to losing weight. An extreme and intense diet may initially lead to weight loss, but almost everyone gains weight again. Sometimes the increase is greater than the decrease. It is also sometimes risky to health.
- Ask your doctor for advice from a nutritionist or a credible weight loss center if you're having trouble losing weight personally. You might also consider joining a weight loss group or something similar.
