You Too Can Lose One Pound a Week!
Most health professionals recommend slow weight loss as the safest and most effective approach. A sensible weight-loss program allows you to lose weight gradually -- about one-half to one pound per week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.
Most people leading moderately active lives need about 15 calories per pound to maintain their weight. For example, a 150-pound person would have to eat foods containing no more than 2,250 calories each day to maintain his or her weight.
To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than are consumed. For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week.
A Perfect Balance
When limiting calories, you still need to satisfy basic nutritional needs. Eat a variety of foods every day. Choose from each of the five food groups — milk, meat, fruit, vegetable and bread — and allow for an occasional treat. Balanced food plans encourage making wise choices about everyday food — choices you can make to stay at your proper weight for life.
You should also evaluate your eating patterns. Sometimes six small meals a day can help you control your hunger. If you prefer to stay with eating three main meals, always plan for some low-calorie between-meal snacks to help avoid overeating at your next meal.
All foods and beverages can be consumed in moderation. Try to cut down on foods high in fat and sugar, or substitute with reduced-calorie and reduced-fat foods and beverages.
Most successful weight-loss plans call for a reduction in both calories and the amount of fat eaten. The fat in your diet should be limited to 30 percent or less of total calories each day. And calories still count!
Getting Physical
Determine what type of physical activity best suits your lifestyle. You should work your way up to regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging or swimming, since it is a key factor in achieving permanent weight loss and improving health. Aerobic exercise works the body's large muscles, such as the heart, and should be moderately vigorous, but not exhausting, to be most effective. For maximum benefits, most health experts recommend exercising 30 minutes or more on most, preferably all, days of the week.
Try to incorporate some simple calorie-burners into your everyday routine. Even the most basic activities (such as taking an after-dinner walk, using the stairs at the mall instead of taking an escalator, or parking farther away so you have a longer walk) can get you prepared for more aerobic activities.
Exercise not only burns calories, it may increase the body's metabolic rate and actually decreases appetite for some people. Exercise also has psychological benefits. It improves your sense of well-being and decreases stress (which often leads to overeating).
Also see ...
• Lose It — And Never Find It Again
Contributors Gail Becker, R.D., is recognized for communications expertise on diet, nutrition and fitness. She is president of Gail Becker Associates in Great Neck, New York.
John P. Foreyt, Ph.D., is a leading authority on obesity, dieting and behavior. He is director of the Nutrition Research Clinic and Professor, Department of Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.