Realistic Weight Loss

Many people who are overweight or obese have decided not to diet per se, but to concentrate on engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining healthy eating habits in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing lowered fat consumption, and an increase in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Others — who try to diet — report needing help to achieve their weight management goals. For those serious of dieting, they should consider a diet plan.

Fad diets that ignore the principles of the Dietary Guidelines may result in short term weight loss, but may do so at the risk of your health. How you go about managing your weight has a lot to do with your long-term success. Unless you’re an official lard ass who’s massively obese, then be patient and drop the weight slowly and reasonably.

Here’s how to do it:

• Check with your doctor. Make sure that your health status allows lowering your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity.

• Follow a calorie-reduced, but balanced diet that provides for as little as one or two pounds of weight loss a week. Be sure to include at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. This may not be headline worthy, but it does shrink the waistline. Common sense dictates that this isn’t a miracle. The most critical aspect is, this is prudent and health.

• Don’t use that excuse that you’re too busy – find time to exercise. You can always start by climbing the stairs at work instead of riding the elevator, or parking at the far end of the lot instead of the closest. Assuming your doctor says your not going to die the next day, then you can start to add some regular daily exercise. Walking is an overlooked form of exercise, which is simple and cheap.

• Even with moderate weight loss, the benefits are substantial. Loosing 5-10% of your extra weight really pays off in great health benefits and increased stamina. If you are 5 feet 6 inches tall and weigh 180 pounds, and your goal weight is 150, losing five to 10 percent (nine to 18 pounds) is beneficial. When it comes to successful weight loss and weight management, steady and slow can be the way to go.

For those who are really overweight, or even obese, weight loss needs setting realistic but stretch goals, and the commitment to finally chan ge whatever is making them fat in the first place. Those in such conditions have found great success with a diet plan. Ideally, you should engage both your food and your exercise in moderation for the good life.

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When the author isn’t with her diet, she’s a fan of psychic readings, the HCG Diet Seattle, and the Volvo C70 windscreen windblocker wind deflector.