Weight Loss

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Every good weight-loss plan has the same two parts: food and physical activity. Wise food choices can help you eat fewer calories and daily (or almost daily) physical activity helps you burn off some of the calories you consume. You lose weight more easily and you’re more likely to keep it off, too.

1. Keep portions smaller than your fist. It’s easy to overeat when you have too much food on your plate. Smaller portions help prevent overeating. Overeating can make health problems worse, especially if you have diabetes. One way to control overeating is to reduce portion sizes when you eat. For most foods, a reasonable portion is ½ to 1 cup – about the size of a woman’s fist. Even if your fist is larger than that, it is still a handy measuring tool that goes everywhere you go. Just keep your portions smaller than your fist. Not all foods fit the “fist” rule.

The two most common exceptions are:

2. Control your hunger with filling foods that are low in calories. Foods such as soup, salad, fruits and vegetables can help fill you up without adding a lot of calories. These foods will satisfy hunger and help you lose weight. Research shows that people feel less hungry when they eat a certain volume (amount) of food. High-fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can provide a feeling of fullness and also digest slowly. That helps you feel satisfied longer so you eat less.

3. Keep track of what you eat. When you keep track of what you eat, you’re more likely to meet your food goals. Studies show that keeping a food log or diary helps people lose weight and keep it off.

4. Make trade-offs to reduce how much fat and sugar you eat. Foods high in fat and sugar are usually high in calories, too. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Learn to make trade-offs instead. If you want to indulge in your favorite dessert, eat a lower-calorie meal.

5. Enjoy more physical activity. As you already know, regular physical activity is important for keeping your heart healthy. Increasing physical activity may help you lose weight and strengthen your heart at the same time.

If you feel you need extra support to lose weight, look for a weight-loss program that’s been proven safe and successful. Look for a program that:

• Stresses a healthy eating plan (low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry, meat and fish, and fat-free or low-fat dairy).
• Includes daily physical activity.
• Gives you personal support from a group, buddy or dietitian.
• Does not deprive you of the foods you enjoy. @
• Has a system to help you keep track of what you eat and drink.
• Recommends a gradual weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week until a healthy weight is reached.

If you’re insulin-dependent, does not conflict with your diabetic diet. Talk to your doctor or diabetes educator if you have questions.

Losing weight means changing the balance of calories in to calories out. If we eat more calories than we need, we gain weight. If we eat fewer calories than we use, we lose weight.

So start with good information: you need to know how many calories you should eat each day for your individual level of activity, and then you’ll need to find ways to stay within your limits. To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. One pound equals 3,500 calories. To successfully and healthfully lose weight—and keep it off—most people need to subtract about 500 calories per day from their diet to lose about 1 pound per week.

Increase calories burned

Regular physical activity has so many proven benefits, such as to help control weight and blood pressure and decrease the risk for heart disease and stroke. All healthy adults (ages 18 to 64) should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., brisk walking) every week or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity (e.g., jogging, running) every week. Additionally, you need on 2 or more days a week muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest shoulders, and arms). Besides helping you lose weight, it also helps reduce your abdominal fat and preserve muscle during weight loss.

The amount of physical activity any individual person needs for weight loss can vary, but you will need to get both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan to lose weight and keep it off. A good plan may include 30 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity, like brisk walking, done nearly every day. Find something you can do and find ways to enjoy it. Take a brisk walk or a jog with a friend or your dog. Enjoy a video that gets you moving.

Physical Activity and Calories