The Real Tips on How to Lose Weight and Keep it Off!

by Shelby Wilmes, Dietetic Intern on behalf of the Tallahassee Dietetic Association (TDA)

Magazine covers are littered with promises of quick and substantial weight loss, strategically positioned right next to the super skinny, perfectly airbrushed model.  Instantly we are intrigued; although if we were totally honest with ourselves we would just admit that any easy or rapid weight loss is unhealthy and unrealistic.  With these miracle diets, weight loss is often not fat loss but merely water or muscle weight loss.  The truth is it is possible to lose fat and feel better about your body but it is not usually quick or effortless.  The good news is that if you do it right you’re much more likely to keep the weight off.

{sidebar id=1}When calories taken in equal the calories used, weight is maintained.  Throw this equation off by eating/drinking more calories than you use and your body turns the extra calories into fat stores.  On the contrary, when you use more energy than what you take in, your body breaks down fat stores to get the energy it needs.  This is the basic idea you should keep in mind when reading the tips below and when planning weight loss.

Tip #1:  Pay Attention and Be Informed.  Do you know how many calories you need in a day?  Do you know how many calories are in that snack sitting on your desk?  Consciously knowing how many calories you need in a day as well as the calorie content of everything you eat and drink can be as easy as keeping a running mental note or as complex as having a daily food/exercise journal.  Many free tools (calorie need calculators, food journals, calories burned during exercise calculators, and food databases) are available online, so take advantage of them so that you are better informed.   Since you don’t have to tell others what you ate or how much you weigh, be honest with yourself for best results.

Tip #2:  Get Moving.  Even if you love to eat you can still lose weight.  All you have to do is adjust the other part of the equation for weight loss.  It is no secret that exercising is important not only for weight loss but overall health as well.  Still studies show that only 30% of Americans exercise on a regular basis.  Many people say they don’t have time to exercise but if you are able to give up 15 minutes ever morning, when you get home from work, and before your favorite primetime show, then you’ve got your 45 minutes of exercise every day!  No matter when you exercise remember to make it count and get your heart pumping.  A good rule of thumb for measuring exertion is if when you’re exercising you can sing along with your radio, you’re not working hard enough.  A good brisk walk (around four miles an hour) will burn around 300 calories in 45 minutes.  Have time to do more?  Go ahead; the more active you are, the more calories you will burn.  

Tip #3:  Aim to Increase your Muscle Mass.  I am sure you have heard that muscle weighs more than fat but did you know that a muscle cell uses six to eight times the amount of energy as a fat cell?  This means that the more muscle mass that you have, the more calories you burn even when you aren’t exercising.  Strength training is the best way to increase muscle mass and should be done three times a week.  Experts recommend allowing one day but no more than three days between strength training exercises for best results.   

Tip #4:  Eat for Better Metabolism.  There are many healthy eating tips that you already know but did you know that they can help you burn more calories without the extra workout?  First, don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.  When you wake up your body is in slow mode from the long night of sleeping and lack of food, so eating will give your cells energy to get them going.  It is also important to eat smaller amounts more frequently.  Most experts suggest eating every three to five hours to keep the body from feeling as if it needs to store energy and prepare for famine.  It also takes energy to keep the digestive system working; therefore, eating small meals throughout the day will keep the digestive system busy.  Eat high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains because it takes more energy per calorie for the body to break down these foods than it does for refined carbohydrates such as doughnuts.

Tip #5:  Drink to Your Health.  Water is the best drink to keep you hydrated and sometimes its importance is overlooked.  However, dehydration can cause a drop in body temperature that causes your body to store energy as fat.  It is also involved in the function of body cells.  So, strive to drink 64 oz. of water every day to keep the body running smoothly.

Remember, you can’t train one day for a marathon and the next day run a 10k; the same is true with getting to your happy weight.  You’re not going to wake up one morning and magically be the size or shape you want but by making some lifestyle changes you can lose weight, keep it off, and have more confidence.

Submitted by Rick Parks, MS, RD - President, TDA
www.eatrighttallahassee.org

This article originally published on November 16, 2008.

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Comments (2)

Also, Don't forget to reward yourself for reaching your

December 03, 2008     

Don't forget to reward yourself for reaching your goals. A little encouragement - even self encouragement goes a long way.
John | 63.119.20.164 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Weight Training, Good tips. A couple of things I'd like

December 03, 2008     

Good tips. A couple of things I'd like to add: 1) Some muscles need more than 1 day to recover from weight training. The chest mucles (pectorals) for example should have at least 3 days. So you can weight train 3 times a week but don't work the same muscles every time. 2) To get the best results, the same muscles should also have some sort of endurance training. I prefer interval training because you get more done in less time but other approaches can work. Don't just work the legs with your endurance training is what I'm trying to say. At the very least add chest and upper back (puchups and pullups - the arms will be worked as well). Then ideally add abs and lower back (and obliques for better results).

John | 63.119.20.164 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

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