Losing Weight in a Healthy Way

Losing Weight in a Healthy Way: Some Common Sense Advice

If you are overweight, shedding excess pounds is one of the healthiest things you can do — but only if you lose weight in a healthy way.

So, what is the healthy way to lose excess pounds and keep them off? While there is no “one size fits all” approach to healthy, long-term weight loss, specialists in weight management have assembled some valuable information on what works and what doesn’t. Here is what you need to know:

1. If a diet sounds too good to be true, it is!

Every year, new diet books and infomercials promise a revolutionary approach to successful weight loss. But don’t be fooled by come-ons like “Eat all your want and still lose weight” or “Melt fat away while you sleep.” The simple truth is, fad diets that promise rapid weight loss by greatly restricting the intake of specific foods and nutrients can undermine people's health, cause physical discomfort, and lead to disappointment when people regain their weight soon after they lose it.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), be wary of weight loss programs that use these phrases to describe themselves:

Breakthrough
Easy
Effortless
Fast
Guaranteed
Magical
Quick
Discovery
Immediate
Miracle Cure

Any diet plan or product that claims you can lose weight without lowering the calories you take in and/or increasing your physical activity is selling fantasies and false hopes. Despite all the hype, the only sensible way to lose weight and maintain it is to eat less and to balance food intake with physical activity.

2. New guidelines will help you spot questionable weight loss diets and claims.

Recently, the American Heart Association issued new guidelines designed to help the public spot – and stay clear of – a fad diet. According to the AHA guidelines, be on the look out for the following:

Diets that promise their products will burn fat.
No food or special supplement will burn fat. The only way to lose weight is to burn calories by decreasing the amount of food you eat and by being more physically active.
Diets based on consuming only one food or a limited number of foods.
Eating unlimited amounts of cabbage or grapefruit is not only nutritionally unbalanced but is too boring to be sustained over time.
Diets that require rigid menus.
Many diets set out a very limited selection of foods to be eaten at a specific time and day, exactly as written. Often these limited diets don't address the widely varied taste preferences of our diverse American population.
Specific food combinations.
There is no scientific evidence that eating foods in certain sequences or combinations has any medical benefit.
Promises of a rapid weight loss of more than 2 pounds a week.
Medical experts have determined that a steady weight loss of up to 2 pounds a week is the safest way to shed excess pounds and leads to weight loss that can be sustained over time.
No increased physical activity.
Not only does more physical activity burn more calories but also regular activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health and well-being.

3. The first step is to set realistic expectations.

If you start out with a weight loss goal that is too high, you will be disappointed. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), successful weight loss is typically losing about 10 percent of your body weight in six months. Towards this end, experts recommend losing about ¾ to 2 pounds per week and not more than 3 pounds per week (weight loss may be faster at the start of a program). When it comes to successful weight loss and weight management, steady and slow is the way to go.

4. The method matters.

Instead of choosing a method that you think will take the weight off fastest, new guidelines published by the American Heart Association recommend a comprehensive weight loss program that is sustainable – meaning the method must go beyond losing the excess weight and address ways to keep it off.

What makes a weight loss program “comprehensive”? According to weight loss specialists, the program has to be realistic, practical and livable. This means finding a comprehensive weight loss program that:

Encourages sensible, balanced eating.
Includes foods from all food groups.
Meets the current scientific recommendations for nutritional completeness and reduced disease risk.
Encourages physical activity on a regular basis.
Recognizes the importance of a supportive atmosphere, which can entail providing support groups to teach the habits, routines and approaches that promote long-term weight loss.

5. Make wise food choices.

Although everyone is different in terms of their food preferences, preferred meals and the times of day they like to eat, some fundamental food choices are essential for nutritional completeness and reduced disease risk.

Of special significance is a diet plan based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which contains information on the logical, proven ways to achieve a healthy body weight. Issued in January 2005 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the dietary guidelines recommend an eating plan that:

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products.
Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.

6. Remember, it’s the calories that count!

When it comes to weight control, it’s the calories that count -- not the ratio of fat, carbohydrates and protein in the diet. That’s why nutrition experts recommend following a menu plan that supplies a healthy combination of all the essential macronutrients needed for good health.

Within this healthy ratio, experts stress the benefits of choosing what are known as “low-energy density foods” – meaning foods that are higher in water content and not very concentrated in calories. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cooked grains are examples of low-energy-density foods that give you plenty of water and fiber for very few calories. Adding more of these foods will give you the sensation that you are eating more food while losing weight.

7. But also watch your portion size.

Many Americans have no concept of how much food is too much and that misconception is a major contributing factor in their weight problem. That is why it is so important to look at the sizes of the portions you are eating. If you practice portion control, it is possible to eat almost any type of food and still stay within a healthy range of calories for the day.

According to specialists in weight management, there are a few easy ways to determine healthy portion sizes for the foods you eat at home:

Consult the “Nutrition Facts” label on the food products you buy for the "serving size" measurement. If you look on a box of cookies, and the serving size is two cookies, that means one portion is two cookies, not six.
When following a recipe, look for how many "servings" the recipe makes. If the recipe says "serves four," that means one portion is one-fourth of the total amount you prepare.
Learn how to estimate portion sizes by using this model:
- 3 ounces of meat, poultry, or fish are about the size of a women's palm, or a deck of playing cards.
- 1/2 cup of cut fruit, vegetables, or pasta is about the size of a small fist.
- 1 cup of milk, yogurt or chopped fresh greens is about the size of a small hand holding a tennis ball.
- An ounce of cheese is about the size of your thumb.
- A teaspoon of margarine is about the size of your thumb tip.

Because restaurants often serve very large portions, practicing portion control is especially important when eating out. Some suggestions for cutting down on calories include:

Eat only half your meal and take the other half for lunch the next day.
Split an entrée or dessert with a friend.
Ask for substitutions (for example, ask for steamed vegetables or a salad instead of mashed potatoes.)
Ask for all sauces, dressings, and gravy on the side.

8. Be more physically active.

According to the Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health issued in 1994, more than 60 percent of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity and 25 percent are not active at all. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, particularly because physical activity reduces the risk of serious diseases, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. When it comes to weight control, being more active balances the calories you take in as food with the calories you burn each day.

Because being more physically active is so important for good health, the new dietary guidelines encourage all adult Americans to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes most days during the week. And for weight control, the dietary guidelines recommend 60 minutes of activity on most days during the week. While this may seem difficult, moderate-intensity activities include walking, dancing, housework and golfing – basically any activity that involves moving the large muscles in your arms and legs.

It is also important to know that you don’t have to do 60 minutes of activity at one time. According to new research findings, exercise is cumulative and everything you do adds up at the end of the day. The key to success is to accumulate at least 30 extra minutes of physical activity throughout the day (for example, three periods of ten minutes each).

Here are some easy ways to get off the couch and start moving:

Get off public transportation a few stops early and walk the rest of the way to your destination.
In safe areas, park your car at the back of the parking lot to increase your walk.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator. To get started, ride the elevator to the midpoint and climb the rest of the way.
Walk to lunch spots and meetings whenever possible.
Enjoy activities with friends and family like dancing or bowling instead of the movies.
Sign up for a community sports team. You will meet new people, have fun and get in shape at the same time.

9. Create a supportive atmosphere

A supportive atmosphere is important for losing weight and keeping it off. Especially because eating is often a social activity that involves family and friends, it is generally better to let the people you care about know that you are trying to control your weight. They can be of great help.

At the same time, don’t overlook the benefits of joining a support group. Research has shown that dieters who recruited friends or family members to help them had better results losing weight and keeping it off than dieters who had no buddy system to fall back on. By joining a group, you gain valuable support and knowledge from others going through the same situation.

10. Forget your setbacks and focus on your successes!

Making fundamental changes in your lifestyle is no easy task. What you do about any mistake is what’s important. Also, be sure to celebrate every pound you lose. Each pound brings you one step closer to your weight- loss goals.

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