After the holidays it is very easy to get discouraged from the holiday weight gain you might have. Sometimes people are tempted to use crash diets and other unhealthy ways to lose weight quickly. Not only does this tactic not work, but it can have devastating consequences for your health. Here are some keys to healthy weight loss.
1. Exercise is an excellent way to lose weight. There are many exercises that you can do that do not require a trip to the gym or expensive equipment. Some examples would be jogging, walking, or biking. Make sure that you check with your physician before you start any type of exercise program, especially if you have never had a strenuous exercise regimen before.
2. Make sure that you do not starve yourself. When you limit your calories too much, your body will go into starvation mode and will start to conserve every calorie it possibly can because it thinks that it is starving to death. This is a wonderful thing when you are stuck out in the jungle somewhere without adequate food, but it really is a bummer when you’re trying to lose weight. Make sure that you consume enough calories to keep your metabolism high.
3. Eat a single portion of food and then stop for a moment so that you can give your body a chance to realize that it is full. It normally takes your body about 20 minutes to realize that it is full. If you keep shoveling food into your face as quickly as you possibly can, then you will consume much more food than you should. Your body will tell you when it is full – you just need to listen to it.
4. Make sure that you set reasonable expectations for weight loss. This means that you should only be losing one or 2 pounds per week at the most. It also means that your ideal weight should not be unrealistic. It is best to consult your physician and find out what your correct weight should be.
5. Finally, make sure that you eat breakfast every day. When you skip breakfast you allow your blood sugar levels to drop too low. This will cause you to overeat because your body is trying to get the blood sugar levels back up to normal. It is much better to eat a healthy breakfast and then have a lighter lunch and dinner.
