Be Healthy While Losing Weight

As of ten years ago, there were already over 108 million Americans battling obesity or who were overweight. The ranks of the overweight and obese have increased vastly since that time and the average US waistline has been steadily expanding for some time now. Obesity and the health problems which it causes are already a significant public health issue and by the year 2020, it is predicted to reach the level of a national health crisis.

The best way we have to combat obesity is to make people aware of the damage which extra weight can do to their health.

The following are just a sampling of the diseases which being overweight disposes you to:

1. Heart disease 2. Stroke 3. Diabetes 4. Cancer 5. Arthritis 6. Hypertension

Keeping excess weight off can help to prevent the development of these and other diseases and can go a long way towards treating them even if they are already present.

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 or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.

Its healthier to approach weight loss as a process rather than a quick fox. Setting realistic, incremental goals help people to lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight afterwards. These are some healthy weight loss tips which are proven to work:

1. Do not starve your self

Do not diet; this is the best advice I can give anyone who’s interested in healthy weight loss.

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 everyday.

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. thighs, buttocks, hips).

2. Make breakfast a habit

Eat a healthy breakfast everyday to kick start your metabolism for the day.

This will get your metabolism working faster and burning fat all day long.

3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.

You’ll lose weight faster by eating five or six small meals instead of three large meals per day. This curbs the urge to overeat and gets your metabolism working faster.

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

You need to set goals for yourself which you can reach. Don’t expect to lose all of the weight in a month. Get regular exercise and eat a healthy diet and you’ll take the weight off in a healthy way which lets you stay trim and healthy for a lifetime.

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 plenty of water

Water helps you burn fat and stay hydrated ” so get six to eight glasses every day.

6. Cut down on 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.

It’s not eating fat which makes you overweight; in any case, you need to get some dietary fat to maintain good health.

The important thing is to eat healthier fats such as olive oil, peanut oil and fish oils. Fish oils have the added benefit of being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

8. Exercise consistently

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.

Whatever your weight loss goal happens to be, the way to get there is to set realistic goals which you know you can reach. When you reach a goal, it gives you the motivation to keep going.

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 to a new, healthier you!
Gary L. Condoluci, LMT is a Holistic Health Professional who has studied information on fast natural weight loss. His research has also led to information on dieting tips.