Being overweight or obese can lead to a range of health problems. Although many different “fad” diets are available, a balanced lifestyle and nutritious diet are the key to healthful living and better weight control.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 93.3 million adults in the United States had obesity in 2015–2016. This number is equivalent to 39.8 percent of the population. Carrying excess body weight can increase the risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
Crash diets are not a sustainable solution, whatever perks their proponents might claim them to have. To both lose weight safely and sustain that weight loss over time, it is essential to make gradual, permanent, and beneficial lifestyle changes.
In this article, we provide 10 tips for weight control. People can lose weight and maintain this loss by taking several achievable steps. These include the following:
1. Eat varied, colorful, nutritionally dense foods
Healthful meals and snacks should form the foundation of the human diet. A simple way to create a meal plan is to make sure that each meal consists of 50 percent fruit and vegetables, 25 percent whole grains, and 25 percent protein. Total fiber intake should be 25–30 grams (g) daily.
Eliminate trans fats from the diet, and minimize the intake of saturated fats, which has a strong link with the incidence of coronary heart disease. Instead, people can consume monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are types of unsaturated fat.
The following foods are healthful and often rich in nutrients:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- fish
- legumes
- nuts
- seeds
- whole grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal
Foods to avoid eating include:
- foods with added oils, butter, and sugar
- fatty red or processed meats
- baked goods
- bagels
- white bread
- processed foods
In some cases, removing certain foods from the diet might cause a person to become deficient in some necessary vitamins and minerals. A nutritionist, dietitian, or another healthcare professional can advise a person how to get enough nutrients while they are following a weight loss program.
2. Keep a food and weight diary
Self-monitoring is a critical factor in successfully losing weight. People can use a paper diary, mobile app, or dedicated website to record every item of food that they consume each day. They can also measure their progress by recording their weight on a weekly basis.
Those who can track their success in small increments and identify physical changes are much more likely to stick to a weight loss regimen. People can also keep track of their body mass index (BMI) using a BMI calculator.
3. Engage in regular physical activity and exercise.
Regular exercise is vital for both physical and mental health. Increasing the frequency of physical activity in a disciplined and purposeful way is often crucial for successful weight loss.
One hour of moderate-intensity activity per day, such as brisk walking, is ideal. If one hour per day is not possible, the Mayo Clinic suggests that a person should aim for a minimum of 150 minutes every week.
People who are not usually physically active should slowly increase the amount of exercise that they do and gradually increase its intensity. This approach is the most sustainable way to ensure that regular exercise becomes a part of their lifestyle. In the same way that recording meals can psychologically help with weight loss, people may also benefit from keeping track of their physical activity. Many free mobile apps are available that track a person’s calorie balance after they log their food intake and exercise. Continue Reading……