8 tips for losing weight the healthy way

Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and has reached epidemic levels in 2020.

One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese. 

Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds: 

1. heart disease

2. stroke 

3. diabetes

4. cancer

5. arthritis

6. hypertension

A healthy weight helps to prevent and control these diseases. 

The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplements (except for those that don't naturally occur in food but are necessary for your body's optimal function) or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary. 

It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.  

Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1.   Do not starve yourself. 

The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet. 

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up every day. 

If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So, if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips). 

2.  Start your day right. 

Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism. 

Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.

3.  Eat small, healthy meals frequently. 

Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent overeating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster. 

4.  Decide on how much weight you want to lose. 

Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life. 

Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.  

5.  Drink lots of water. 

Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy. 

6.  Avoid too much sugar. 

Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein rich foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.

7.  Watch your fat intake. 

Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level. 

There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, avocado, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart.  

8.  Exercise. 

Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use these activities and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities. 

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself. 

Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds. 

Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result in a new, healthier you.

Are fats and carbs bad for you?

Making a commitment to have healthier eating habits is a tough one. Knowing how to implement that commitment may be even harder. Where do you start? What foods should you eat, and which ones should you stay away from? These are all questions you should answer before going out to the grocery store.

We need nutrients to survive. We need vitamins, minerals and calories every day. There are two types of nutrients. Micronutrients are our vitamins and minerals and macronutrients are where our calories come from. The three types of macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates and proteins.

Many people think that all fats are bad and recently started thinking all carbohydrates are bad too. That leaves us with just protein. If this were the case, our diets wouldn't be very enjoyable and more importantly, in complete. Fortunately, not all fats and carbohydrates are bad.

With all the negative publicity recently, you might be afraid to eat any carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our main fuel source. Our brain can't use anything else to power itself with and our muscles will work the best on it. Don't deprive yourself of it. Carbohydrates that you should stay away from are simple sugars that are found in candy, sodas and many snacks. Good carbohydrates such as whole grain and fruits will keep you energized throughout the day and help you avoid sugar highs and lows.

Fats are also very important. Without fat, our body wouldn't be able to utilize some of the vitamins we consume. Fat is found in our cell walls and makes up a big part of hormones. Fats you should avoid are saturated fats that come in meat, milk and dairy products. Everyone should consume good (unsaturated fats) that come from plant sources such as nuts and olives.

Keep in mind that balance is the name of the game here when you’re thinking about improving your diet. For assistance from a certified nutrition coach, fill out this health and wellness questionnaire to get personalized guidance on your path toward healthier eating.

A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition

Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body composition and health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored into the equation or you could be heading for problems. The right nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a myriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however, entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

Carbohydrates

They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however, is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

Proteins

Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat. 

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

Fat 

Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

Vitamins

These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease. 

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot. 

Minerals and trace elements

These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure. 

You should follow several guidelines to create a well-balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colors as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low-fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

Excellent nutrition is the basis of a healthy diet. For simple meal plans that have all the components of this healthy guide to good nutrition and suits your lifestyle, TAKE THE QUIZ!