March 02, 2015
A Guide to Losing Weight Safely
A guide to losing weight safely
Being overweight is associated with a range
of health risks, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
stroke and certain types of cancer. It can also take its toll on people’s
mental wellbeing, leading to low self-esteem, anxiety and embarrassment. In
some cases, it can even trigger clinical depression. Given these problems, it
is no wonder that so many of us want to get in shape.
However, losing weight is easier said than
done. You might have made many attempts to shed excess pounds in the past to
little or no avail. Fortunately, help is at hand. You can access information
and advice over the web from trusted sources like onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com.
Meanwhile, this brief guide should help you to kick start your weight loss
efforts.
Steer clear of fad diets
Fad diets have a certain allure. With their
promises of speedy weight loss, it isn’t hard to understand why so many of
these unusual eating plans have caught the public’s imagination. From the
cabbage soup diet to low-carb eating plans, detailed detox schedules and more,
there’s certainly no shortage of gimmicky diets to choose from.
However, these plans tend to focus on
short-term results and they can be hard to keep up for any length of time,
meaning that even if you succeed in shedding weight, you’re likely to put it
back on. Also, some of these diets can be dangerous. Crash diets are designed
to dramatically reduce the number of calories you consume, and this can make
you feel unwell and prevent your body from functioning properly. It’s also
important to bear in mind that excluding certain food groups can stop you from
getting the vitamins and nutrients you need.
Make sustainable changes to your eating
habits
Instead of looking for a quick fix, it’s
better to make sustainable, healthy changes to your eating habits. This may not
lead to rapid weight loss, but it is much easier to keep up, and it’s better
for your body. Simple modifications to your diet, like eating smaller portions
and choosing drinks that are lower in fat, sugar and alcohol, can help you to
get in shape.
To cut your calorie consumption, try trimming
the fat off your meat and choosing low-fat dairy products. Meanwhile, don’t be
tempted to skip breakfast. Eating a well-balanced meal first thing will help to
stop you snacking during the day. Another top tip is to try having a drink like
a cup of tea or a glass of water when you fancy a snack. You may find that
you’re actually thirsty rather than hungry.
Whatever changes you make to your diet,
always be sure to get at least five portions of fruit and veg each day.
Up your level of exercise
The science of losing weight is relatively
simple, at least at a basic level. To shed excess pounds, you need to burn more
calories than you consume - and this is where exercise comes into play. All
adults should try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic
activity each week. This could include cycling or fast walking. Of course, you
might want to do a lot more than this. After all, the more active you are, the
easier you will find it to get in shape.
Try to choose exercises that you actually
enjoy, otherwise there’s little hope that you’ll keep them up over the long
term. For example, if you like the competitive edge associated with sport,
activities like tennis or squash may be perfect. Alternatively, if you like
being in the open air, jogging or cycling could be better.
It’s also worth building more exercise into
your daily routine. Perhaps you could walk or cycle to work rather than drive.
Even simple things like taking the stairs rather than the elevator could help
you to slim down.
By following simple but effective tips like
these, you should be able to lose weight safely.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post which was not written by me. All opinions are my own. Good sources for weight loss tips include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, FDA, Mayo Clinic, Harvard and more.
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