1/20/2009

How to lose weight safely?

Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses, and losing weight reduces the risk. Beside this, overweight people have psychical problems and worst social life because of their weight. That is why it is so common question how could someone lose w...

Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses, and losing weight reduces the risk. Beside this, overweight people have psychical problems and worst social life because of their weight. That is why it is so common question how could someone lose weight. Nowadays, more then ever, people wish to know how to lose weight safely without dangerous side effects on their health.



How to lose weight safely?



First you could ask your doctor about sensible goals, because your doctor or other health worker can help you set sensible goals based on a proper weight for your height, build and age. Men and very active women may need up to 2,500 calories daily, while other women and inactive men need only about 2,000 calories daily. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds for a week. It is also recommended to exercise 30 minutes



A day. Do at least 30 minutes of exercise, like brisk walking, most days of the week if you wish to lose weight on a healthy way. The idea is to use up more calories than you eat, so you need to use up the day%26rsquo;s calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat. Eat less fat and sugar, because this will help you cut calories. Fried foods and fatty desserts can quickly use up a day%26rsquo;s calories and these foods may not provide the other nutrients you need. That is why, make sure your other foods that day are low in fat and calories. In addition, eat a wide variety ff foods, since variety in the diet helps you get all the vitamins and other nutrients you need. Watch out for promises of quick and easy weight loss, because fad diets are not good. This is even dangerous sometimes, because they often call for too much or too little of one type of food. As a result, you may not get important nutrients you need daily for health life. Also try to remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true at all.



What about diet pills?



Diet pills you buy without a prescription will not make a big difference in how much you lose each week or how long you keep the weight off.





If you do use them, read the label carefully, and because of possible side effects, like high blood pressure, never take more than the listed dose. You should also be careful about taking cough or cold medicines with diet pills you buy without a prescription. These medicines may contain the same drug used in diet pills, or a similar drug with the same effects, so if you take both products together, you may get too much of the same type of drug. This can hurt you and harm your health. Before taking a cough or cold medicine while using diet pills, ask your pharmacist if it is safe. Prescription diet pills may help some people, but if you use them, follow the doctor%26rsquo;s directions carefully. Always, before signing up for a weight-loss program, ask questions if that company could explain possible health risks from weight loss and explain all costs. Ask if that company include weight control over a long time and if they have proof of success, not just praise by other people. Ask of them to give you a clear, truthful statement of how you are going to lose weight, including how much and how fast and ask them to teach you how to eat healthfully and exercise more.



Weight control



Weight loss is a tricky topic and lots of people are unhappy with their present weight. However, most of these people are not sure how to change it, and many of them would be better off staying where they are. You may want to look like the models or actors in magazines and on TV, but those goals might not be healthy or realistic. Besides, the fact is there is no magical diet or pill that will make you look like someone else. Being healthy is really about being at a weight that is right for you, and the best way to find out if you are at a healthy weight or if you need to lose or gain weight is to talk to a doctor or dietitian. The doctor or dietitian can compare your weight with healthy norms to help you set realistic goals. If it turns out that you can benefit from weight loss then you can follow a few of the simple suggestions. Weight management is about long-term success, where people who lose weight quickly by crash dieting or other extreme measures usually gain back all, and often more of the pounds. The main reason they gain back what they lost is because they have not permanently changed their habits. Therefore, the best weight management strategies are those that you can maintain for a lifetime, which is a long time. Make it a family affair, asking your mother or father to lend help and support and to make dietary or lifestyle changes that might benefit the whole family, if it is possible. Teens who have the support of their families tend to have better results with their weight management programs but remember, you should all work together in a friendly and helpful way. Do it as making weight loss into a competition is a recipe for disaster.



Watch your drinks



It is amazing how many extra calories can be lurking in the sodas, juices, and other drinks that you take in daily. Simply cutting out a couple of cans of soda or switching to diet soda can save you 360 calories or even more each day. Drink lots of water or other sugar-free drinks to quench your thirst and stay away from sugary juices and sodas, and switching from whole to nonfat or low-fat milk is also a good idea.



Start with small steps in losing weight



Small changes are a lot easier to stick with than drastic ones, so try reducing the size of the portions you eat and giving up regular soda for a week. Once you have that down, start gradually introducing healthier foods and exercise. Off course, stop eating when you are full. Lots of people eat when they are bored, lonely, or stressed. Moreover, many people keep eating long after they are full out of habit. Try to pay attention as you eat and stop when you are full. Slowing down with your meal can help because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to recognize how much is in your stomach. Sometimes taking a break before going for seconds can keep you from eating another serving you wish to have. Avoid eating when you feel upset or bored and try to find something else to do instead. You could walk around the block or a trip to the gym, these are good alternatives. Many people find it is very much helpful to keep a diary of what they eat and when. Reviewing the diary later can help them identify the emotions they have when they overeat or whether they have unhealthy habits, and registered dietitian can give you pointers on how to do this.



Eat less more often is the key for weight loss



Many people find that eating a couple of small snacks throughout the day helps them to make healthy choices about their meals. That is why try to stick a couple of healthy snacks, such as carrot sticks, a low-fat granola bar, pretzels, or a piece of fruit in your backpack so that you can have one or two snacks during the day. Adding healthy snacks to your three squares and eating smaller portions when you sit down to dinner can help you to cut calories. What is the most important this way you will pass the day without feeling deprived. Five a day keep the pounds away and ditch the junk food and dig out the fruits and veggies. Five servings of fruits and veggies are not just a good idea to help you lose weight, but they will help keep your heart and the rest of your body healthy. Other suggestions for eating well is that you could replace white bread with whole wheat, trade your sugary sodas for lots of water and a few cups of low-fat milk, and make sure you eat a healthy breakfast. Having low-sugar, whole grain cereal and low-fat milk and a piece of fruit is a much better idea than inhaling a donut as you run to the bus stop or eating no breakfast. A registered dietitian can give you lots of other snack and menu ideas you could use in health weight loss.



Try to avoid fad diets and diet pills



It is never a good idea to trade meals for shakes or to give up a food group in the hope that you could lose weight. The fact is that we all need a variety of foods to stay healthy. Stay away from fad diets, especially if you are still growing and need to get proper nutrients. Avoid diet pills, even the over-the-counter or herbal variety, becase they can be dangerous to your health. Besides, there is no evidence that they help keep weight off over the long term. Also you should not banish certain foods and do not tell yourself you will never again eat your absolutely favorite peanut butter chocolate ice cream or a bag of chips from the vending machine at school. Making these foods forbidden is sure to make you want them even more then you used. It is also important to know that you need to have some fat in your diet to stay healthy. That is why, giving up all fatty foods all the time is not a good idea. The key to long-term success is making healthy choices most of the time, so if you want a piece of cake at a party, go for it. However, munch on the carrots rather than the chips to balance it out. Try to get moving anytime you could and you may find that you do not need to cut calories as much as you need to get off your behind. Do not get stuck in the rut of thinking you have to play a team sport or take an aerobics class to get exercise, but try a variety of activities from hiking to cycling to rowing until you find ones you like.Build your muscle, becuase muscle burns more calories than fat. Therefore, adding strength training to your exercise routine can help you reach your weight loss goals as well as give you a toned bod. A good, well-balanced fitness routine includes aerobic workouts, strength training, and flexibility exercises so try to lose weight this way.