The Best Way to Lose Weight

"Lose 10lbs in 7 days!"

"Drink juices for 2 weeks and lose 20 pounds!"

" How to burn 12 pounds in just 1 week"

I'm sure you've heard it all; these quick fix diet plans which promise to get you to your goal weight in a short amount of time. And don't we all want a quick fix? It sounds allurring of course BUT... Not realistic or even worth the trouble.

According to Physician Donald Hensrud from The Mayo Clinic, when you lose a lot of weight too quickly, you may not lose as much fat as you would with a more modest rate of weight loss. Instead, you might lose water weight or even lean tissue, since it's hard to burn that many fat calories in a short period.

Are you overwelmed by daily decisions about what to eat, when to eat, and how much exercise you need to be healthy and safely lose weight? Many of my clients have had their health care providers approach them about the necessity to lose weight to improve health conditions, some want to lose weight for cosmetic reasons and some for both. The one thing I have learned through my many years of helping women reach their health and fitness goals is that successful weight management is a long term challenge. I understand that excessive weight can affect a person's self esteem but always remember that a healthy weight may be less than what you wish to lose. When clients come to me with a weight loss goal we often have to reevaluate a more realistic and healthier goal.

Research shows that your health can be greatly improved by a loss of 5 to 10 percent of your starting weight. Of course you don't have to stop there but a starting goal of 5-10% weight loss is both more realistic and valuable.

Here are the best things you CAN DO to Lose weight and Maintain it:

Set the right goals:

Most people focus on that one goal: the number on the scale. Instead focus on changing your diet and physical activity that will lead to long-term weight change. Useful goals should be 1) specific, 2) doable (attainable), 3) forgiving (doesn't have to be perfect).

Giving yourself a goal of walking 30 minutes 5 days a week is specific, attainable but also forgiving because we all know that one day you may be stuck at work and won't be able to do all 5 which is OK!

Shaping:

Shaping is a behavioral technique in which you choose a series of short-term goals that will get you closer to the ultimate goal. Such as reducing your fat intake intake from 40% of total calories to 35%.

Reward yourself! BUT not with food:

A good reward should be timely and working towards your goal. One of my favorite things to do is to reward myself with buying my favorite brand of workout clothe LULULEMON (not cheap...) whenever I reach a small goal or getting a manicure every time I was able to stay away from my favorite candy bar for a week. Frequent small rewards , earned for meeting your smaller goals will keep you happy and motivated along the way to your bigger goal.

Keep a record of your physical activity and calorie intake:

"self-monitoring" some aspects of your behavior such as the amount of exercise or calorie intake is essential to help you attain a lower weight or maintain it. It's a great accountability tool which can be reviewed by you, your health care provider, or personal trainer. Apps such as MyPlate can help you keep a record of your physical activity and calories over time with graphs and tables that are easy to read. Seeing your increase in activity is a great motivator to keep it up. While you may not wish to weigh yourself every day; keep a regular record of your weight to observe fluctuations but always remember that your body's water weight changes from day to day and that it has nothing to do with your weight management efforts.

Stay away from social and environmental cues:

If you know you tend to eat more while watching TV you will want to acknowledge that cue and separate your self from it ( don't eat while watching TV). I you know you tend to grab candy at the cash counter at the grocery store go in telling yourself "I will not buy candy today" or you could replace the cue with something more susitable such as munching on carrots or buying gum instead of candy.

Eat slowly:

It takes 15 or more minutes for the brain to get the message that you've been fed. Eating slowly helps you feel satified. I found that eating raw vegetables makes me feel fuller. Fruits such as grapefruits, cantaloup or watermelon also give a sense of fullness. Another helpful trick is to use smaller plates so that your moderate portion doesn't seem too small. Finally changing your eating schedule or setting one can be helpful to avoid skiping meals and not overeating later!

References:

mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/fast-weight-loss/faq-20058289

nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/behavior.htm