We are constantly bombarded with programs telling us how to lose weight and look great. While many of these programs are legitimate, many simply prey off of people’s desires to be thin by making empty promises.
The best way to lose weight includes many factors such as:
- Proper Nutrition
- Exercise
- Rest
- Preparation
- Support
- Mental Strength
- Time Management
This may look like a top ten torture list but it’s what it takes to succeed in losing weight. Let’s break down each category.
Proper nutrition – losing weight does not have to mean starving yourself. In fact, if you plan on exercising you will need to fuel your body with the right food to keep it going. Proper nutrition includes eating 5-6 small meals of 350-450 calories each. Each meal should have a lean protein, vegetable, and either a whole grain or fruit.
Let’s take a look at a sample meal plan:
7:00 AM Breakfast – 5 scrambled egg whites, ½ cup of oatmeal with ¼ cup of blueberries, glass of water
10:00 AM Snack – Protein shake with 1 tbs of natural peanut butter
1:00 PM Lunch – 4 oz. grilled chicken with two whole wheat tortillas topped with 1 tbs of low fat cream cheese, handful of fresh spinach leaves, and ½ ounce of dried cranberries
4:00 PM Snack – Protein shake with 1 cup skim milk and one banana
7:00 PM Dinner – ½ cup brown rice, 4 ounces of grilled chicken, 3 ounces of steamed broccoli
10:00 PM Snack – 2/3 cup 2% cottage cheese with 3 ounces strawberries
Exercise – All you need to do to maximize weight loss is workout 3-5 days per week for 30-45 minutes. Your exercise regimen should utilize cardiovascular and strength training. The best workouts combine strength training and cardiovascular training because they maximize fat burning. They also build muscle, which increases metabolism. The best exercises target major muscle groups such as the legs, core, back, chest, and glutes. Let’s take a look at a sample workout.
- 5-7 minute warm up on treadmill
- Dumbbell lunges – 4 sets x 10 reps
- Chest press – 4 sets x 12 reps
- Crunches – 2 sets x 20 reps
- Bent-over rows – 4 sets x 10 reps
Rest – getting enough sleep is crucial to your weight loss routine. It’s not that getting sleep causes you to lose weight; it’s what happens when you do not get enough. Sleep experts say you need 7.5-8 hours a night. When you are sleep deprived the chemicals that control your appetite are thrown off causing you to eat more and get cravings.
Preparation – anyone who has managed to lose weight and keep it off will tell you that preparing food ahead of time is critical. Not having food made up combined with a hungry stomach is a recipe for disaster that usually ends up with a trip to the fast food drive thru.
To be successful you need to cook up food in bulk for the week on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and portion it out in baggies. It saves a ton of time and will keep you from cheating.
Support – the weight loss battle is much easier if you have support. It’s very difficult to eat healthy and exercise when everyone around you is eating whatever they want and being inactive.
Mental Strength – losing weight starts in the mind first. You have to mentally ready to do it, and smart enough to formulate a plan and stick to it. Cravings will come, as will the temptation to skip your workouts. You need to keep your mind focused on your goals.
Time Management – sloppy living leads to sloppy eating. To combat the excuse of “I’m too busy to lose weight”, you have to make time for it by cutting out unnecessary activities like four hours of watching television a night.
