Weight Loss Success Results from Finding the Right Balance of Calories and Exercise

Weight loss is not just about changing what you eat; it’s also about adding more exercise activities during your week.

We need to change our eating habits, stop eating junk foods and highly processed foods and replace them with good, healthy foods. You need to eat foods that supply you with all the required nutrients to keep your body healthy.

Before making any changes, I recommend starting a food and activity journal. You not only write down what you eat, but where, when, and what you were feeling at the time. It will help you see what triggers your hunger and what satisfies your appetite. What foods do you routinely shop for? What snacks do you keep in the pantry?

Once you start to see patterns in your journal, you’re ready to take action. But keep in mind that deciding to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar in your diet is a big step, and trying to do that. At the same time, you endeavor to make a drastic change in your physical activity level, maybe biting off too much difference at one time. Which, sadly, can set you up for failure. Instead of trying to make all the changes at once, I recommend that you set smaller, more realistic goals for yourself and plan to add in a new challenge each week.

Don’t plan to starve yourself, either. It won’t help you lose weight. It’s much better to eat small, regular meals five or six times a day so that the body never feels threatened and tempted to hold on to its fat stores. Eating regular meals also helps maintain your blood sugar at a constant level so that you don’t start craving sugary food when your blood sugar levels drop.

Adding fiber to your diet — such as whole grain cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables, and fruits — can help you feel full with fewer calories.

Another great tip: Prepare your meals and snacks at home. It is a great way to save money, eat healthily, and spend time with your family. When preparing meals, choose low-fat/low-calorie versions of your favorite foods.

Snacks can comprise a piece of fresh fruit, cut raw vegetables, or a container of low-fat yogurt. These are portable and an excellent choice to tide you over until mealtimes. Take these snacks with you for a healthy alternative to chips, cookies, or candy.

As I mentioned earlier, weight loss success also requires increasing your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate-intensity exercise for at least three or more days a week. If you are physically active, remember that even small increases provide health benefits. Check with your physician first, start with a few minutes of activity a day and gradually increase, working your way up to 30 minutes. Suppose you already achieve 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day. In that case, you can gain even more health benefits by increasing the amount of time you are physically active or taking part in more vigorous-intensity activities.

The balance of calories consumed against your activity level will either cause weight loss or gain. The more calories you eat, the more physical you need to be. For example, for every 100 calories you consume and do not burn a day, you will gain about 1 pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line to lose weight is that you must reduce your calories and increase your physical activity.