People with frequent weight problems know that it's hard to find a diet plan and exercise program that can help you lose weight forever. With so much information out there and the variety of diets and exercise programs out there, it can be hard to find a good option for weight loss that will last over the long term. Fortunately, this basic approach to losing weight and keeping it off is pretty easy to understand.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Start with a Lifestyle
Step 1. Change your perception
Don't think of it as a diet and exercise program. If you continue to view this new diet as a diet program, you will find it more difficult to stay committed to the planned nutrition program and your weight loss will not last as long. Try changing the way you view your new routine and adopt an active lifestyle with healthy nutrition.
Instead of dwelling on the foods you can't eat, find healthier versions of your favorite foods and include them in your diet. Thus, you will feel happy and will not be tempted to break your diet
Step 2. Clean your food cupboard
One of the things you should do when you start a weight loss program is to get rid of all the bad foods from your home. Check refrigerators, freezers, food cabinets, and cabinets to get rid of all the bad foods like ice cream, candy, fried foods, chips, cakes, and so on. Replace these foods with healthier options such as fruits, vegetables, and fiber foods that still taste good on your tongue but are not bad for your health.
If you have a family, try to get rid of these foods for them too. They don't have to follow the same diet as you, but eating a healthier diet is a great option for everyone
Step 3. Change your routine
If you've had trouble committing yourself wholeheartedly to a diet and exercise program before, try taking it slow. Sometimes, the all-or-nothing concept can feel overwhelming and frustrating. In addition, you can be tempted to give up before you actually try to lose weight. Try to make changes slowly, such as eating one serving of healthy food at every meal and exercising once or twice a week at first. As your body gets used to this routine, you can change even more things to have an overall healthy lifestyle.
Step 4. Be patient
You can't lose weight overnight. The healthiest and easiest to maintain amount to lose is about 0.5 to 1 kilogram each week. This number may seem small, but if you work on it and change your lifestyle and routine to be healthy, you too will not think of it as a weight loss program anymore but as your lifestyle.
Do not be discouraged. The worst thing you can do is give up too soon. If your diet isn't good for one day or if you haven't exercised for several days, don't stop the program. Go back to the diet and exercise program that you have set and surely you will see the results
Step 5. Watch what you eat
Don't eat food blindly every day. Watch the food you eat, and enjoy every bite. If you pay attention to every bite, you will enjoy your food more and be more aware of the number of calories you consume each day. If you pay attention to everything you eat, you will make better choices and not overeat like before which can help you lose weight and keep it off.
Method 2 of 3: Exercise To Stay Fit
Step 1. Focus on strength training
The best way to burn fat and keep your body fit is through strength training. The more muscle you build, the more calories you burn each day. After a good strength workout, you continue to burn calories for days while your body works to replenish the burned energy and repair working muscles. It also makes you healthier overall by helping with bone density, blood pressure, heart health, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood flow. Your body function will be better so that weight can be maintained.
- The best way to get more results in weight training is circuit training. How to do it, choose 5 exercises and repeat 8-12 times or 20-30 seconds for each exercise. Do this whole exercise 3 to 4 times. You can combine these exercises, choosing between stationary lunges, walking lunges, body weight squats, push ups, sit ups, planks, plank ups, jumping jacks, barbell rowing, deadlifts, pull ups and bicycles, and so on. You can choose any strength building exercise.
- Do not rush while doing this exercise. Make sure your posture is firm and that you are using the necessary muscles. Don't rely on the help of momentum to do this exercise. Remember to breathe while doing this.
- It is recommended that you do this strength training three times a week, with rest days between training days. That way you get maximum results and your body gets time to recover. On days where you don't do strength training, do some cardio.
Step 2. Do cardio
While strength training can speed up your heart rate, you still need to fit in a few days a week for cardio. It helps you burn calories and improves endurance, heart health and overall fitness. You will feel better and burn more calories each day.
- One of the best cardio exercises is running. This sport is really difficult for some people, while others do this sport effortlessly naturally. If you can't run for a long time at first, try doing interval training using a program like Couch to 5K. You can run at your own pace and train to be able to run for longer periods of time. Over time, these running exercises can help you maintain your weight.
- If you hate running or your knees are weak or you've had other injuries, try low-impact cardio using an elliptical or spin machine. The elliptical machine is similar to running on a treadmill, but it reduces the impact on the body by making the movement continuous without involving impact. The spin machine, which is a stationary bike, also reduces stress on the feet. You can take cycling classes at the fitness center. This workout is intense but fun because it combines music with high-intensity cardio.
- One of the best motivations for doing cardio is music. If you're having trouble with this exercise, try putting on some songs that make you feel happy, energetic, and strong. Listening to these songs makes you want to practice longer and stronger. In the end, cardio becomes part of your routine every week that can help you maintain weight.
Step 3. Try HIIT
If you want something more difficult, both for cardio and strength training, try high intensity interval training HIIT. In this exercise, you perform several sets of high, medium, and low intensity interval training, which are alternated in a 1:2 ratio. This exercise burns more fat. It also keeps fat burning after you've finished your workout because the intervals boost your metabolism and you burn calories for up to 24 hours after you've finished your workout.
- For cardio, start by warming up for 3-5 minutes. Then, run as fast as you can for 30 seconds and walk or jog slowly for 60 seconds. Do as much as 5-10 times, then do the cooling for 3-5 minutes. When you run fast, your heart rate will increase. This heart rate decreases when you do moderate to low interval training. You also increase the time by trying a 60-second sprint followed by a 120-second walk or jog.
- For strength training, the ratio is reversed because the intensity is not as extreme. Start by warming up for 3-5 minutes. Then, do eight sets of 20 seconds of intense exercise, 10 seconds of rest, for squats, jumping jacks, lunges, planks, push ups, sit ups, bicycles, skaters, and high knees. For this exercise you should do it for 30 minutes, therefore choose 8 exercises to do in it. You can incorporate whatever exercises you deem necessary for your body.
Step 4. Start taking classes
If you exercise alone, it will be more difficult. Check out a gym close to your home to see if they have classes that fit your schedule. Many gyms offer weight training classes, cardio classes, as well as classes that combine the two. Look for classes that guys are with you and that you like. Try taking two or three classes a week to lose weight and keep it off.
- If you like weight training, look for classes like strength classes, body combat or other classes that focus on strength training. The movements have been prepared for you, and you can follow them happily because they are accompanied by music.
- If you like dancing, try a class like zumba. This class is a great combination of cardio and muscle building that's really fun to do.
Step 5. Exercise whenever you can
If your schedule is so tight that you have little time left to exercise, try to slip it in between your busy schedules. You could try walking for fifteen minutes around your house, doing a few sets of push ups, squats, lunges or sit ups when you have a few minutes to spare. If you get used to it, your body will start burning more calories.
- Only do this on busy days. You should still try to exercise regularly, but this method can be used on days that are too busy and you don't even have the 45 minutes to work out.
- Make group commitments to help you stay consistent. Instead of going out to eat or drink with friends or coworkers after work, try going to the gym or walking or running outdoors. You can still spend time with friends while keeping your body healthy and losing weight.
Method 3 of 3: Following the Right Diet
Step 1. Have a good breakfast
One of the worst things you can do while trying to lose weight is skip breakfast. If you eat in the morning when you just wake up, the body's metabolism will immediately work when you just wake up. If you skip breakfast, your body will starve and stop burning fat when you expend calories in the morning. In addition, if you eat breakfast in the morning, you are more likely to avoid the temptation to snack. Eat a good breakfast that contains protein, fruits, and whole grains to reduce appetite throughout the day and help the body's metabolism work better.
- Eat whole grain bread with peanut butter or almonds along with a piece of fruit. You can also make it a peanut butter and banana or apple sandwich. This menu has lots of protein and whole wheat bread keeps you full throughout the morning.
- You can try a cup of oatmeal with a tablespoon of nuts and half a cup of fruit. Microwave the fruit to warm it up and mix it with the nuts along with the oatmeal afterwards. You can combine strawberries with almonds or bananas and walnuts. This breakfast is healthy and will keep you full for longer. In addition, this breakfast tastes sweet enough for those of you who like sweet foods.
- If you don't like oatmeal, try an omelette made with egg whites, spinach, tomatoes and avocado. Mix a quarter cup of spinach into an omelette and serve with cherry tomatoes and a quarter of an avocado. This menu contains a lot of protein, fiber, and other important nutrients that will nourish the body throughout the day.
Step 2. Eat a balanced lunch and dinner
If your lunch and dinner are balanced, you are less likely to overeat and this can help maintain your weight. Combine protein-rich foods such as fish, chicken, other low-fat meats, beans, and tofu with fiber-rich foods such as whole-grain foods and vegetables to keep you full. These two components can work together to keep you full for a longer time.
- For lunch, try the salmon salad with sautéed salmon, spinach, pecans, tomatoes and feta cheese. You can also try a chicken salad made with Greek yogurt, nuts, and grapes stuffed into half a whole-wheat pita bread.
- For dinner, try the sauteed chicken breast with tomatoes and dill served with roasted broccoli and stir-fried chickpeas. You can also try roasted tofu with peas, kale chips, and grilled broccoli.
- Avoid foods that contain lots of carbohydrates and sugar. Pasta, rice, and other starchy carbohydrates will keep the weight from losing or gaining it back. Eat fiber-rich foods like brown rice or quinoa if you like.
- Also focus on food portions. It's best if your plate isn't full of food or full of calories. Make sure half of your plate is full of vegetables and avoid taking too much food.
Step 3. Make healthy snacks
Eating small snacks between meals can help you eat less at meal times and prevent you from overeating. Snacks are usually enjoyed between meals and between dinner and bedtime. Try to eat two snacks every day when you feel very hungry. For example, if you're usually hungry between lunch and dinner and between dinner and bedtime, eat your snack at that time. Make sure these snacks are small and healthy, not large dishes.
Try eating a tablespoon or two of almond butter with apple or carrot chunks or half a sandwich with a quarter of a chicken salad made with Greek yogurt and grapes. The protein you eat will fight hunger and the sweet taste of this food will satisfy your cravings for sweets
Step 4. Eat more vegetables
Vegetables are important for a healthy lifestyle and can help you lose weight. Vegetables like kale, spinach, pumpkin, avocado, beets, radishes, and carrots are full of fiber, potassium, and important vitamins and nutrients that help you stay healthy and lose weight. It also helps you reduce your consumption of meat and carbohydrates such as pasta which is full of fat and calories. Include vegetables in your large meals and snacks. Intake of fiber and other nutrients can make you feel full faster so you eat less and lose weight. In addition, you will generally be healthier.
- If you like pizza, instead of adding too much cheese or pepperoni, try adding vegetables like spinach, bell peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, or broccoli. In addition, replace the dough with whole wheat dough. Pizza like this will taste delicious and can fill you up faster so you eat less and lose more weight.
- For a snack, eat carrots with a tablespoon of hummus or peanut butter. The combination of carrots with this sauce is delicious. In addition, the fiber and protein contained in this snack can reduce appetite quickly.
- Instead of french fries, try eating fried vegetables. You can try frying vegetables like beets, pumpkin, and radishes for dinner. Chop these vegetables, add a little virgin olive oil and sea salt, then bake in the oven. These foods are healthier than potatoes and can fill you up faster.
- Instead of lettuce, try making a salad out of kale or spinach. These two vegetables have more nutrients than lettuce and can help you fight hunger and maintain your weight.
- If you like pasta, make a paste of zucchini or pumpkin. This pasta has the same texture and consistency as regular pasta, but contains fewer calories and carbohydrates while containing more hunger-fighting nutrients and fat. All you have to do is cut the zucchini thinly by hand or with a vegetable cutter. You can also buy pumpkin spaghetti. Saute these vegetables in a pan with a little water until cooked. Then add all the ingredients from your usual recipe for a delicious and healthy Italian dinner.
Step 5. Avoid fat-free options
While it's good to eat meat and oils that contain less fat, avoid buying products like fat-free dairy products. Natural fats contained in food actually help you to feel full longer. In addition, if fat is removed from food, usually these food manufacturers include some unnatural additives that make the food unnatural. In the long run, the natural fats found in food can actually help you eat less and maintain your weight.
Try buying low-fat options from dairy products. The difference between this product is that it is usually made with 2% milk, instead of full milk. These products contain no additives and still contain hunger-fighting fats, but generally contain less fat
Step 6. Cut back on drinks that are full of calories
Secretly drinks can be a source of additional calories. If before work you buy a latte, you also consume about 200-400 calories. If you drink sugary soda, you're consuming hundreds of calories per can. Instead, replace soda with plain water, latte with regular coffee or tea.
- If you want to add something to your coffee, add 2% skim milk instead of cream. If you like sugar, replace it with natural, no-calorie sugars like stevia or monk fruit.
- If you like the carbonation of your fizzy drink, try seltzer water. You can get carbonation from soda without sugar and other unnatural ingredients.
Step 7. Stop eating out
One of the worst things to face while losing weight is eating out. You can't really control the ingredients and calorie content of the dishes you order, so you end up eating a lot of calories without even realizing it. Try to cook at home as often as possible. That way, you can control the food you eat and maintain a nutritional balance.
- When dining out, try to choose a grilled meat dish with vegetables or a salad with a little dressing. In addition, pay attention to the portion. If the portion is very large for one person, share this dish.
- Stay away from pasta, fatty meats, and fried foods. These foods are full of calories and contain few nutrients that can help keep you full longer.
Step 8. Avoid junk food
While you're shopping, avoid the temptation to grab junk food like chips, candy, or unhealthy desserts. If you don't keep these foods at home, you won't be tempted to eat them if your willpower is shaky. Instead, try buying healthy snack options like nuts, nut or almond butter, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, raisins, or dark chocolate.
Try mixing almonds, raisins or dried apricots, dark chocolate, and natural granola. This food mix contains sweet and savory flavors and has many nutrients that can fight hunger
Step 9. Reward yourself without overdoing it
There are some foods that we all like that are actually unhealthy. Instead of forbidding yourself to enjoy this food forever, allow yourself to enjoy it once every few weeks. For example, if you love cake, buy a large one when it's time to reward yourself. Enjoy the cake as you eat it, teeth slowly. You also become impatient to reward yourself again and this becomes motivation for yourself to continue to be disciplined in running your diet program.
Don't reward yourself too often. If you start rewarding every day, you're more likely to quit your diet and start eating the foods that made it hard for you to lose weight in the past
Tips
- Don't be in a hurry when you exercise. Listen to your body because you definitely don't want to get hurt. If the exercise feels overwhelming, reduce this exercise until you can build endurance and strengthen your muscles. All practice is good as long as you push yourself smartly to get better.
- Regulating nutrition is a struggle that is faced every day. You get better as time goes on. If you find yourself not following the program you've created, try to get back into good habits and don't get discouraged.
- Losing weight is not impossible but it takes effort. Keep doing it and you will see the results.
