Successful weight loss: 10 tips to lose weight Medical News Today Health ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnect Subscribe 10 tips for successful weight loss Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R.N. — By Kathleen Davis, FNP on January 15, 2019 10 tips Losing weight Overview 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. 10 tips for successful weight loss People can lose weight and maintain this loss by taking several achievable steps. These include the following: 1 Eat varied colorful nutritionally dense foods Share on PinterestEat a varied, nutritious diet.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 vegetablesfishlegumesnutsseedswhole grains, such as brown rice and oatmeal Foods to avoid eating include:foods with added oils, butter, and sugarfatty red or processed meatsbaked goodsbagelswhite breadprocessed foodsIn 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 Share on PinterestRegular physical activity can help a person lose weight.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. If the thought of a full workout seems intimidating to someone who is new to exercise, they can begin by doing the following activities to increase their exercise levels:taking the stairsraking leaveswalking a doggardeningdancingplaying outdoor gamesparking farther away from a building entrance Individuals who have a low risk of coronary heart disease are unlikely to require medical assessment ahead of starting an exercise regimen.However, prior medical evaluation may be advisable for some people, including those with diabetes. Anyone who is unsure about safe levels of exercise should speak to a healthcare professional. 4 Eliminate liquid caloriesIt is possible to consume hundreds of calories a day by drinking sugar-sweetened soda, tea, juice, or alcohol. These are known as “empty calories” because they provide extra energy content without offering any nutritional benefits.Unless a person is consuming a smoothie to replace a meal, they should aim to stick to water or unsweetened tea and coffee. Adding a splash of fresh lemon or orange to water can provide flavor.Avoid mistaking dehydration for hunger. An individual can often satisfy feelings of hunger between scheduled meal times with a drink of water. 5 Measure servings and control portions Eating too much of any food, even low-calorie vegetables, can result in weight gain. Therefore, people should avoid estimating a serving size or eating food directly from the packet. It is better to use measuring cups and serving size guides. Guessing leads to overestimating and the likelihood of eating a larger-than-necessary portion. The following size comparisons can be useful for monitoring food intake when dining out:quarter of a cup is a golf ballone-half of a cup is a tennis ball1 cup is a baseball1 ounce (oz) of nuts is a loose handful1 teaspoon is 1 playing die1 tablespoon is a thumb tip3 oz of meat is a deck of cards1 slice is a DVD These sizes are not exact, but they can help a person moderate their food intake when the correct tools are not available. 6 Eat mindfully Many people benefit from mindful eating, which involves being fully aware of why, how, when, where, and what they eat. Making more healthful food choices is a direct outcome of becoming more in tune with the body. People who practice mindful eating also try to eat more slowly and savor their food, concentrating on the taste. Making a meal last for 20 minutes allows the body to register all of the signals for satiety. It is important to focus on being satisfied after a meal rather than full and to bear in mind that many “all natural” or low-fat foods are not necessarily a healthful choice. People can also consider the following questions regarding their meal choice:Is it good “value” for the calorie cost?Will it provide satiety?Are the ingredients healthful?If it has a label, how much fat and sodium does it contain? 7 Stimulus and cue control Many social and environmental cues might encourage unnecessary eating. For example, some people are more likely to overeat while watching television. Others have trouble passing a bowl of candy to someone else without taking a piece. By being aware of what may trigger the desire to snack on empty calories, people can think of ways to adjust their routine to limit these triggers. 8 Plan ahead Stocking a kitchen with diet-friendly foods and creating structured meal plans will result in more significant weight loss. People looking to lose weight or keep it off should clear their kitchen of processed or junk foods and ensure that they have the ingredients on hand to make simple, healthful meals. Doing this can prevent quick, unplanned, and careless eating. Planning food choices before getting to social events or restaurants might also make the process easier. 9 Seek social support Share on PinterestHaving social support is a great way to stay motivated. Embracing the support of loved ones is an integral part of a successful weight loss journey. Some people may wish to invite friends or family members to join them, while others might prefer to use social media to share their progress. Other avenues of support may include:a positive social networkgroup or individual counselingexercise clubs or partnersemployee-assistance programs at work 10 Stay positive Weight loss is a gradual process, and a person may feel discouraged if the pounds do not drop off at quite the rate that they had anticipated. Some days will be harder than others when sticking to a weight loss or maintenance program. A successful weight-loss program requires the individual to persevere and not give up when self-change seems too difficult. Some people might need to reset their goals, potentially by adjusting the total number of calories they are aiming to eat or changing their exercise patterns. The important thing is to keep a positive outlook and be persistent in working toward overcoming the barriers to successful weight loss. Losing weightSuccessful weight loss does not require people to follow a specific diet plan, such as Slimming World or Atkins. Instead, they should focus on eating fewer calories and moving more to achieve a negative energy balance.Weight loss is primarily dependent on reducing the total intake of calories, not adjusting the proportions of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the diet.A reasonable weight loss goal to start seeing health benefits is a 5–10 percent reduction in body weight over a 6-month time frame. Most people can achieve this goal by reducing their total calorie intake to somewhere in the range of 1,000–1,600 calories per day.A diet of fewer than 1,000 calories per day will not provide sufficient daily nutrition. After 6 months of dieting, the rate of weight loss usually declines, and body weight tends to plateau because people use less energy at a lower body weight. Following a weight maintenance program of healthful eating habits and regular physical activity is the best way to avoid regaining lost weight. People who have a BMI equal to or higher than 30 with no obesity-related health problems may benefit from taking prescription weight-loss medications. These might also be suitable for people with a BMI equal to or higher than 27 with obesity-related diseases. However, a person should only use medications to support the above lifestyle modifications. If attempts to lose weight are unsuccessful and a person’s BMI reaches 40 or over, surgical therapy is an option. Overview Maintaining weight loss involves a commitment to a healthful lifestyle, from which there is no “vacation.” Although people should feel free to enjoy a special meal out, a birthday celebration, or a joyful holiday feast without feeling guilty, they should try not to stray too far from the path of healthful eating and frequent physical activity. Those who do may find that they lose focus. Gaining back lost weight is easier than losing it. Achieving and maintaining weight loss is possible when people adopt lifestyle changes in the long term. Regardless of any specific methods that help a person lose weight, individuals who are conscious of how and what they eat and engage in daily physical activity or regular exercise will be successful both in losing and keeping off excess weight. Q Last medically reviewed on January 15, 2019 Nutrition / Diet Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Sports Medicine / Fitness 9 sourcescollapsed Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Adult obesity facts. (2018, August 13) https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.htmlHow do I follow a healthy diet? (2015) https://www.heart.org/-/media/data-import/downloadables/pe-abh-how-do-i-follow-a-healthy-diet-ucm_300467.pdfIncreasing fiber intake. (n.d.) https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/Knell, G., Li, Q., Gabriel, K. P., & Shuval, K. (2018, November). Long-term weight loss and metabolic health in adults concerned with maintaining or losing weight: Findings from NHANES [Abstract]. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 93(11), 1611-1616 https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30323-9/fulltextKushner, R. F. (2014, January–February). Weight loss strategies for treatment of obesity [Abstract]. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 56(4), 465–472 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24438739Laskowski, E. R. (2018, December 14). How much should the average adult exercise every day? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916Planning meals using Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. (2017) https://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/Public/Senior-Friendly-collection.aspxWeight management. (n.d.) https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic-faq-categories/weight-managementWillett, W. C., & Stampfer, M. J. (2013, January 7). Current evidence on healthy eating [Abstract]. Annual Review of Public Health, 34, 77–95 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23297654 FEEDBACK: Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R.N. — By Kathleen Davis, FNP on January 15, 2019 Latest news Omega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlife Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winter CDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future' Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? 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