According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, one in three Americans follow an eating pattern or a diet. They also spend over $33 billion each year on different types of weight loss products.
Yet many people go about dieting the wrong way, wasting time, money, and effort on programs that don’t work. This, in turn, causes them to become discouraged. So what can you do if you want to lose weight?
Keep reading to learn about how to lose weight in a healthy yet effective way.
Recognize Hunger vs. Boredom
At its core, your body needs food to sustain itself. It uses food for energy, organ maintenance, and a number of other functions. Yet oftentimes, people use food to fill other roles.
It’s common for people under a lot of stress to eat more. People going through sad or difficult times may also turn to food to help them through them. Yet doing so can cause you to eat more than your body needs. If the food you eat in these periods is unhealthy, it can lead to weight gain.
Next time you pick up a piece of food, ask yourself: are you hungry? Or are you bored or using food as a coping mechanism? If you’re using food for something else, make sure to recognize that. You can take steps to overcome that tendency.
Eat the Right Foods
When looking to lose weight, many people go about limiting the amount of food they eat each day. Although maintaining a caloric deficit is important for weight loss, the types of food you eat are as important.
Make sure that your body gets all the proper nutrients it needs to function each day. When you avoid food groups such as fats or carbs, it can lead to hunger. This, in turn, can cause you to eat more.
Instead of cutting out these food groups, try to choose healthy alternatives. Use olive oil instead of butter, lean meats instead of processed red meat, and healthy yogurts instead of ice-cream. If humans have been eating a type of food for hundreds or thousands of years, it should be okay.
Avoid Processed Foods
Another nutrition rule that can help you lose weight is to avoid processed foods. In the modern and fast-paced society of today, companies pump foods full of sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. Although these make food taste better, they also lead to unhealthy diets and weight gain.
Try to fill your diet with natural and simple foods. If the ingredients list on the back of a product looks like a college essay, odds are that it’s too processed. Your body won’t benefit from the majority of ingredients on the list.
Instead of eating out at restaurants or ordering takeout, consider cooking homemade meals. This will allow you to choose natural ingredients, as well as limit the amount of salt and other spices. You can also meal prep, which lets you enjoy healthy food and control your portions.
Limit Alcohol
If losing weight seems like an impossible task, the foods you’re eating may not be the only culprit. Alcoholic beverages can also have an impact on your weight.
Many drinks have high levels of sugar and calories. Beer also contains high levels of carbs that make it difficult for your body to digest. That’s why many people refer to it as liquid bread, and why many beer drinkers have beer bellies.
If you don’t see yourself giving up alcohol anytime soon, try to drink healthier forms of alcohol. Vodka, whiskey, and dry champagne are fine, provided that you don’t mix them into sugary concoctions. You can also drink dry red or white wine. In fact, some health experts believe that they may benefit your health.
Exercise
In most cases, diet alone isn’t enough to help you lose weight. You’ll also need to get active and exercise. This can burn off calories, which combined with healthy eating, can help you lose weight.
Most experts recommend increasing your heart rate for around 20-30 minutes a day. If you live a sedentary lifestyle or work long hours at a desk, make sure to find time to get your blood flowing.
Don’t assume that exercise means that you need a gym membership. You should be able to find ways to incorporate movement and exercise into your lifestyle. For example, consider taking the stairs as opposed to the elevator. You can also take a walk around your neighborhood in the evening.
Don’t Give up
If you’ve struggled with your weight for a long time, it can be easy to get discouraged. This can lead to many people giving up when they don’t see the results they want. Yet it’s important to persist and not quit early on.
Make sure to track your progress, good and bad. This can help you see results, track changes, and hold yourself accountable. Consider using a nutrition or exercise app to help you stay on track.
You can also commit to a healthy program like the HCG Drops Diet to get the results you want.
Now You Know How to Lose Weight
Beginning a fitness journey can seem like an uphill battle that you can’t win. If you’re wondering how to lose weight, it can seem like nothing you try works. Yet by following this guide and the tips mentioned, you’ll be able to lose weight in a healthy way in no time.
Do you have any other tips on how to lose weight with a healthy diet and exercise? Make sure to let us know in a comment down below!
If you found this article to be helpful, don’t forget to check out some of our other blog posts.