One of the best ways to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit with healthy eating and exercise. Experts recommend starting by tracking your food intake, either using an app or hand-writing in a journal.
Avoid fad diets that restrict certain foods or cut out entire food groups. Instead, focus on nutritious whole foods and make small changes that you can stick with over time.
Exercise
Exercise plays a critical role in creating the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss, experts say. While it’s possible to lose weight by following a low-calorie diet alone, exercise adds to the deficit and helps keep the extra pounds off once they are lost.
Exercise is also important because it helps prevent health problems, boosts energy and reduces stress. Although the most common way to burn calories is through planned exercise, even activities such as yard work and household chores can provide benefits if done regularly.
Those who are new to exercise should start slowly and gradually build up the amount of time spent exercising. People can find ways to increase the amount of time spent being active by making small changes, such as parking a little farther away from their workplace or taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Aim for 30 minutes of activity every day, but remember that small bits of exercise throughout the day can be as good as getting 30 minutes at a time all at once.
Eat Right
The most important part of losing weight is balancing energy in (what you eat) and out (the calories you burn when you move). Start by understanding your current habits – how many calories are you consuming? How much are you burning?
You can improve your diet by eating a variety of foods and making healthy choices most of the time. Try to choose a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Include plenty of vegetables, preferably unprocessed options. Try to avoid fried or breaded food and replace higher-calorie ingredients with lower-calorie versions, such as using low-fat dressings or adding herbs and spices instead of oil or salt.
Be sure to drink plenty of water. Thirst can often be mistaken for hunger, so drinking water can help keep you full and eat less. Use smaller plates and eat slowly to help with portion control. You can also eat the same foods you enjoy but just in smaller amounts if they are high in calories, fat or sugar.
Reduce Stress
Stress causes your body to produce hormones that can affect your appetite, metabolism and emotions. It’s important to address any underlying emotional issues that could be contributing to your stress level.
Munmun Ganeriwal, a nutrition and fitness consultant, says in times of acute stress, the release/elevation of cortisol shuts down your appetite but chronically elevated levels can lead to insulin resistance which leads to sugar cravings, and excess weight gain [5].
When you’re stressed, it’s easy to turn to food for comfort or as an energy source. To combat this, avoid high-sugar, processed foods and stick with whole grains, leafy veggies, protein-rich meats like fish and chicken and low-fat dairy to help you feel satiated and energized. Also, drink plenty of water and eat foods that are rich in immune-boosting antioxidants like blueberries, strawberries, oranges and carrots. You can also try calming supplements like ashwagandha and L-theanine to help you relax.
