People in eternal struggle with the scales know that it can be quite difficult to find a combination of diet and training that will help them lose weight permanently. Between lightning fast diets and cutting-edge fitness videos, the bombardment is constant. Therefore, it can be difficult to find viable solutions for long-term weight loss. Thankfully, the basic approach to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight is relatively easy to follow.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Change your point of view
Don't look at diet and training from the wrong perspective - that is, believing that changing your life is a huge sacrifice. If you think your new diet is a prohibitive diet, it becomes difficult to follow this new program with dedication. In addition, it will be difficult to permanently maintain your weight. Try to change the way you view the new routine. Instead of thinking that eating a certain way or exercising is mandatory, consider the change as a new lifestyle of sports and healthy nutrition.
Instead of thinking about all the food you can't eat, try to introduce healthier versions of your favorite dishes into your routine. In this way, you will have the feeling of indulging in small vices, without the temptation to go astray
Step 2. Empty the pantry
When embarking on a weight loss program, one of the first steps to take is to get rid of all the junk food in the house. Examine the refrigerator, freezer, pantry and various kitchen cabinets to get rid of all the foods that tempt you, such as ice cream, candy, breaded and fried foods, chips, snacks, and so on. Replace them with healthy options, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that still offer you some of your favorite flavors, without being nearly as harmful.
If you have a family, try to eliminate these foods even for those who live with you. Not everyone has to stick to the same routine as you, but eating healthy is an ideal resolution for everyone
Step 3. Change your routine
If you have found it difficult in the past to follow a diet and exercise program seriously, try taking it one step at a time. In some cases, a drastic approach can be difficult and frustrating. In fact, it can push you to throw in the towel before you even give the weight loss program a chance. Try to gradually make changes; for example, start by replacing each meal with healthier alternatives and schedule 1 or 2 training days per week. Once your body gets used to the routine, you can add more and more changes until you lead a completely healthy lifestyle.
Step 4. Be patient
He does not lose weight overnight. The healthiest and most lasting weight loss is the one that allows you to lose 500g-1kg per week. It may seem slow, but if you put in the effort and try to make your lifestyle and routine healthy, it will no longer occur to you to consider the weight loss program as if it were a great sacrifice. It will simply become part of your life.
- Don't be discouraged. The worst thing you can do is give up too soon. Even if you eat poorly for a day or two or miss 2 or 3 workouts, don't throw in the towel right away. Recover your eating and sports habits and you will see results.
- Repeatedly continuing to lose weight and then regaining it can be stressful for the heart and slow down your metabolism. Make a commitment to follow a stable weight loss program to preserve your health.
Step 5. Pay attention to what you eat
Try to make informed choices at the table, every day. Really examine the food on your plate, savor every bite. If you are mindful of every single bite, you will enjoy food more and be more aware of the amount of calories you will ingest on a daily basis. By giving importance to everything you eat, you will make smarter choices and not binge - this will help you lose weight and achieve lasting results.
- Using a calorie counting app, such as MyFitnessPal, can help you better understand the amount of calories and nutrients you typically consume in a day. Track your eating habits for a week so you can create a strategy for making some small but significant changes in your diet.
- Smaller portions can help you reduce your overall calorie intake while still allowing you to eat the foods you love.
Step 6. Search for support
Changing your lifestyle with the support of a friend or family member can make the difference between losing weight and not losing it. Create a support network with the people you know you can count on to cope with the new diet and physical activity. Having someone to turn to when you feel discouraged or when you try not to give in to the temptation to eat something you shouldn't, can help you not give in.
Method 2 of 3: Exercise to keep fit
Step 1. Focus on strength training
Strength exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and keep fit. For every gram of muscle gained, you burn more calories on a daily basis. After completing a good strength workout, you actually continue to burn calories for days. Meanwhile, the body works to recover the energy consumed and repair the muscles it has exercised. In addition, this type of training makes you healthier in general, because it optimizes bone density, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, circulation. Your body functions will improve and allow you to maintain a healthy weight.
- The best way to get good results from strength exercise is to do circuit training. To do it, choose 5 exercises and repeat them 8-12 times, or spend 20-30 seconds on each one. Repeat the whole circuit 3-4 times. You can mix and match the exercises in different ways. Choose from on-the-spot lunges, walking lunges, weight squats, push-ups, sit ups, planks, jumping jacks, one-handed dumbbell rowing, barbell deadlifts, pull-ups and bicycle crunches, to name a few. For this routine, all strength exercises should work.
- Don't be in a hurry while doing these exercises. You need to make sure you do them correctly and engage the right muscles when making them. Do not let yourself be helped by the impulses of the body. Also, remember to breathe well during the different repetitions.
- You should do strength training 3 times a week, with one day off between sessions. This guarantees you better results and the body will have time to recover. On off days, do aerobic exercises.
Step 2. Add aerobic workout
While strength training increases your heart rate, you still need to add a few cardio sessions to your weekly routine. It helps you burn calories, increases stamina, improves cardiovascular health and overall well-being. This will allow you to feel better and eliminate more calories on a daily basis.
- Running is one of the best aerobic exercises there is. It's pretty tough for some, while others are born runners. If you can't run for long at first, improve through interval programs like Couch to 5K. You can continue at your own pace and improve your endurance to learn how to run longer. Over time, this will help you maintain a healthy weight.
- If you hate running, have knee problems or other injuries, try a low-impact aerobic workout, such as elliptical or spinning. Training on the elliptical is very similar to running on the treadmill, but it decreases the impact because the movement is continuous, without jolts. Spinning, which is performed on stationary bicycles, also reduces the stress on the legs, caused by running. Go to a nearby gym and ask if they offer spinning classes. This workout is intense but fun. Also, high intensity cardio is done to the beat of the music.
- Good music is one of the most motivating factors to do aerobics. If you keep struggling to become consistent, on your mobile or mp3 player, upload songs that make you feel good-humored, vital and strong. Listening to them will make you want to train longer and harder. Eventually, aerobics will become part of your weekly routine and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Step 3. Try HIIT
If you want a slightly more advanced type of training in both cardio and strength exercise, try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which consists of alternating intervals of high intensity exercises with periods at low or moderate intensity, usually in proportions of 1 to 2. This exercise allows you to burn more fat. In addition, you will continue to lose fat even after training, because the intervals stimulate the metabolism a lot. As a result, you will burn calories for up to 24 hours after training.
- To do aerobics, start with a 3-5 minute warm-up. Then, do a quick sprint for 30 seconds. Finally, walk or jog for 60 seconds. Repeat 5-10 cycles, then cool for 3-5 minutes. You need to get your heart rates up with sprints, and then lower them with moderate or low intensity intervals. You can also increase the times once you get better: switch to 60-second sprints and 120-second walking or jogging intervals.
- For strength training, the proportions are reversed because the intensity is lower. Start with a 3-5 minute warm-up. Then, do 8 high intensity repetitions lasting 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds. Do exercises like squats, jumping jacks, lunges, planks, plank ups, sit ups, bicycle crunches, skaters, and on-the-spot knee lifts. Since your goal is to complete 30 minutes of intense training, choose 8 exercises to distribute between these intervals. You can tweak them and run whatever you think are useful for the areas you are trying to strengthen.
- On YouTube you can find tons of HIIT related channels, such as Fitness Blender and Body Rocker.
Step 4. Sign up for a course
If you have to train alone, it can be downright difficult to motivate yourself to do it. Go to the gym to find out about the courses offered and that you can fit in between one engagement and another. Many establishments offer specific courses for strength training, aerobics, or a combination of both. Find the one that's right for you, so you'll be thrilled by the very idea of going there. Try to write down 2 or 3 weekly sessions on your diary: they will help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
- If you like strength training, try a course such as power tone, body combat or otherwise focused on building muscle mass. The instructors prepare the programs and make them more enjoyable by adding music.
- If you like to dance, try a class like zumba. It's a combination of aerobics and muscle toning, and it's a lot of fun.
Step 5. Train when you can
If you have a busy schedule and time to exercise is short, try to take advantage of every free moment you have during the day to get moving. Take a 15-minute walk around your neighborhood, do a few sets of push-ups, squats, lunges, or sit ups when you have a few minutes to spare. If you start integrating exercise slowly into your routine, it will help you burn more calories.
- Do this only on really busy days. You should still try to train on a regular basis. This method should only be considered on days when you are too busy and would not be able to complete a 45-minute workout.
- To be able to be consistent, try to train in a group. After work, instead of going to eat or drink with your friends or colleagues, try to work out in the gym, or go for a walk or a run in a park. Not only will you have time to devote to your friendships, you can also be healthier and lose weight.
Method 3 of 3: Eat the Right Way
Step 1. Have a big breakfast
If you want to lose weight, one of the worst mistakes you can make is skipping breakfast. If you eat immediately after waking up, your metabolism will start working from the early hours of the morning. In fact, when you skip breakfast, your body goes into reserve, and as you consume calories throughout the morning, it stops burning fat. With a good breakfast, you will also be less likely to give in to temptation throughout the day. Prepare a healthy one, rich in protein, fruit and whole grains to decrease hunger during the day and make your metabolism more efficient.
- Spread peanut or almond butter on a slice of rye or wholemeal bread, and eat a piece of fruit. You can also make a peanut butter and banana (or apple) sandwich. This meal has enough protein and whole grains to keep you feeling full throughout the morning.
- Try eating half a cup of oats with a tablespoon of dried fruit and half a cup of a fruit. Heat the fruit in the microwave, and mix it with the oats once you have cooked them. Use combinations like strawberries and almonds or bananas and walnuts. This allows you to prepare a hearty breakfast that will keep you feeling full for longer. Plus, it's sweet enough to satisfy even the sweet tooth.
- If you don't like oats, try an omelette made with egg whites, spinach, tomatoes and avocado. Mix 60 g of spinach with egg white, and accompany the dish with cherry tomatoes and a quarter of avocado. This meal has enough protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients that will keep you strong throughout the morning.
Step 2. Prepare healthy lunches and dinners
If you eat balanced for lunch and dinner, you are less likely to binge during the day, which will help you maintain a healthy weight. Combine protein-rich foods, such as fish, chicken, other lean meats, legumes, nuts, and tofu, and high-fiber foods, such as whole grains and vegetables, to keep you satisfied with every meal. These substances are intended to make you feel full and satisfied for longer.
- For lunch, try a salad with stir-fried salmon, spinach, pecans, cherry tomatoes, and feta. You can also make a chicken salad with Greek yogurt, dried fruit, and grapes; wrap all the ingredients with a slice of wholemeal pita bread.
- For dinner, try a pan-fried tilapia fillet with cherry tomatoes. Cook a side dish of grilled broccoli, a portion of cannellini beans and sautéed green beans. You can also make grilled tofu accompanied by chickpeas, kale chips and grilled Brussels sprouts.
- Avoid foods containing too many carbohydrates and sugars. Pasta, rice and other starchy foods will not allow you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. If you still want to eat grains, go for whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa.
- Also, consider the portions. The dish must not overflow with food or be excessively caloric. Make sure half of your plate is full of vegetables, and avoid serving yourself large portions.
Step 3. Make healthy snacks
Having a small snack between meals helps you eat less at lunch and dinner. Also, avoid bingeing. Snacks generally go between lunch and dinner, and between dinner and bedtime. Try to have 2 snacks a day, at times when you find yourself being particularly hungry. For example, if you happen to experience hunger pangs between lunch and dinner and between dinner and bedtime, prepare them at those times. If you are hungry between breakfast and lunch time and between dinner and the time you go to bed, eat at those times. Just make sure they're small and healthy snacks, not full meals.
Try eating a couple of tablespoons of almond butter accompanied by an apple or carrot sticks. Or, stuff pita bread or half a bun with 60g of salad made from chicken, Greek yogurt, and grapes. Protein will help you fight hunger, and dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth
Step 4. Eat more vegetables
They are essential in any self-respecting healthy lifestyle, and will help you keep your weight in check. Vegetables like kale, spinach, squash, avocado, beets, turnips, and carrots are packed with fiber, potassium, vitamins, and essential nutrients that will help you stay healthy and lose weight. This will also allow you to eat less meat and carbohydrates such as pasta, full of fat and calories. Include them in 2 or 3 meals, but also in snacks. Adding fiber and other nutrients will help you feel full faster. This will help you eat less and lose weight. Plus, you'll be healthier overall.
- For dishes you love, like pizza, try using more vegetables like spinach, peppers, artichokes, tomatoes or broccoli in the preparation. Avoid overdoing the mozzarella or salami. Also, replace the classic dough with wholemeal one. The veggies and wholemeal base will still be tasty, but will make you feel full sooner, which will help you eat less and lose more weight.
- If you need to snack, eat carrots with a spoonful of hummus or peanut butter. Carrots are ideal for enjoying with a dip, and they are delicious with both of these foods. Plus, the fiber and protein from the snack will eliminate your cravings faster.
- Instead of french fries, try some fried vegetables. Grill root vegetables, such as beets and turnips, or fruit, such as squash and zucchini, for dinner. Cut them into strips, season them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and cook them in a pan. They are much healthier alternatives than potatoes and make you feel full sooner.
- Instead of iceberg lettuce, make a salad on a bed of kale or spinach. Compared to lettuce, these 2 vegetables have far more nutrients that help you fight hunger and control weight.
- If you love pasta, replace classic spaghetti with zucchini or pumpkin-based ones. They are similar in shape and texture, but far fewer calories and carbohydrates, and far more nutrients that fight hunger and fat. You simply have to cut the zucchini into strips manually or with a special tool. Pumpkin spaghetti must be cut from the inside of the peel and have a shape that is very reminiscent of pasta. Sauté the vegetables in a pan with a little water until cooked through. Then, add the rest of the ingredients as you usually would for a traditional, but healthier, dinner.
Step 5. Avoid fat-free alternatives
While eating low-fat meat and oils is good for you, avoid buying fat-free versions of products like dairy. In fact, the natural fats in foods help you feel full for longer. Also, when lipids are eliminated, manufacturers usually add unnatural additives, which therefore make foods more artificial. In the long run, the classic extra fats actually help you eat less and control your weight.
Instead, try to prefer light dairy alternatives. The only difference is that they are made from skim milk, not whole milk. These foods have no additives and still contain fats that help fight hunger. However, the overall lipid content is lower
Step 6. Avoid excessively caloric drinks
Soft drinks are an unsuspected source of extra calories. If you order a cappuccino or other elaborate drink at the café in the morning, you risk consuming 200-400 liquid calories in one go. If you consume fizzy drinks full of sugar, you add hundreds of calories to your diet with every single can. Instead, replace fizzy drinks with water and cappuccino with classic hot coffee or tea.
- If you don't like drinking black coffee, add skim or semi-skim milk, not whole milk or cream. Do you prefer to sweeten it? Use a natural, calorie-free sweetener, such as stevia or monk fruit.
- If you like carbonated drinks, try natural sparkling mineral water. You'll get the same effect, but without sugar and artificial ingredients.
Step 7. Stop eating out
This is one of the most incorrect habits that there are for those who want to lose weight. The ingredients and calories you consume are hard to control, so you can end up overeating without even noticing. Try to cook at home as much as possible. In this way, you can control which foods you consume and follow a balanced diet.
- If you have to eat out, try a grilled meat dish accompanied by vegetables or a salad with little or no seasoning. Also, pay attention to the portions. If a dish seems more abundant than necessary for one person, eat only part of it.
- Stay away from pasta, fatty meats, and fried foods. They're full of calories, and don't have those nutrients that help you feel full longer.
Step 8. Avoid junk food
When shopping at the grocery store, avoid choosing junk food like chips, candy, or heavy desserts. Not having them at home, you will not be able to give in to the temptation to binge in a moment of weakness. Instead, buy healthy snack alternatives, such as nuts, peanut or almond butter, fresh fruits and vegetables, raisins, or dark chocolate.
Try to make an assortment of nuts with unsalted almonds, raisins or dried apricots, pieces of dark chocolate, and all-natural breakfast cereals. This dish features both sweet and savory elements and is packed with nutrients that fight hunger
Step 9. Reward yourself in moderation
There are certain foods that everyone loves, but which are far from healthy. Instead of forbidding them forever, give them every now and then, for example a couple of times a month. Do you like chocolate chip cookies? Buy a handful when you want to indulge yourself. As you eat them, savor them, chew them slowly and enjoy the experience. Waiting for this moment will be pleasant, and knowing that it is on the horizon will help motivate you to follow a healthy daily eating plan.
Don't reward yourself too often. If it starts to be a daily habit, you will be more likely to fail. You will start eating those foods that in the past prevented you from losing weight
Advice
- When exercising, take your time. Listen to your body, because you certainly don't want to take the risk of getting hurt. If some exercises are not for you, postpone them until you have developed greater muscular endurance. All exercises are good, the important thing is to do them carefully and be demanding in a healthy way towards your body.
- Having a healthy diet is a daily battle, but remember that the situation improves over time. If you happen to fail, recover your good habits and don't be discouraged.
- Maintaining a healthy weight isn't impossible, but it takes commitment. Be constant and the results will not be long in coming.
