There is no doubt that carrying excess weight can be bad for your health. Being overweight increases your risk for a long list of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Of course, losing excess weight can also do wonders for your looks and confidence.
Weight loss has become a multi-billion industry, with several companies and individuals plying products and services that promise people would effectively lose weight form their use. There is no doubt that many of these can help you shed excess weight. The question here, however, is whether these diets, pills, products and procedures can allow you to achieve your goals in a safe manner.
While your goal may be to lose weight, the achievement of that goal should not come at the price of your long-term health. Listed here are four of the most effective ways that will allow you to lose (and keep off) excess weight.
Eat a balanced and healthy meal
Instead of opting for fad diets that eliminate certain food groups, strive to make solid lifestyle changes. Start off by adding more fruits, veggies, lean meats and whole grains to your diet. After that, begin to eliminate unhealthy fare from your regular diet. Over time, you will notice a marked decrease in your weight. In order to sustain this over the long term, you may cheat from time to time. This helps lower your cravings for junk and fast food. However, be sure to consume these in moderation.
Count calories
Go to a doctor or a nutritionist and ask how many calories you should be consuming. After that, you have to make the effort to stay within the recommended range in order to create a caloric deficiency. You can either use a notebook as a food journal or download an app on your phone. Either way, you will want to record your calorie consumption.
Exercise regularly
Although modifying your diet and counting calories can do wonders for your weight loss goal, you can get to your goals faster by exercising regularly. Experts recommend exercising for 30 minutes every day, five times a week. Regular exercise will boost your metabolism which, in turn, aids in calorie burning. Furthermore, exercising will help tone your muscles and give definition to these.
Get ample rest and sleep
The final ingredient to effective weight loss is getting enough rest and sleep. Sleep deprivation can adversely affect your weight loss efforts because it encourages you to opt for comfort food. Additionally, sleep deprivation throws your metabolism out of balance. Get at least seven and a half hours of sleep nightly.
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