Struggling with Weight Loss?
Weight loss is all about energy
balance. When you take in
3,500 calories more than you need,
you will gain a pound. Just eating
or drinking 250 extra calories a day
can add up to 1 pound of weight
gain in two weeks. In a year, you
could gain 25 pounds. Any of
these foods could have 250 hidden
calories:
- 16 ounces of soda or fruit juice
- 1 small order of french fries
- 1 doughnut
- 2 tablespoons “special sauce”
To lose weight and keep it off, you need to make what are called “lifestyle changes.” Staying away from fad diets is a good place to start. You want to look for long-term success. Making changes to avoid the extra 250 calories in your diet is a first step.
HELPFUL LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR LOSING WEIGHT
- Eat meals every four to six hours during the day. Skipping meals causes you to overeat at your next meal. Your body may be more likely to store the extra calories as fat if you skip meals.
- Change your food choices to include more fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
- Avoid fried foods. Cut down on the serving size of fried foods. Splitting a small order of french fries with someone else would be a good choice. You would save extra calories, but you could still enjoy the fries.
- Be active every day. Check with your doctor first to make sure that walking or other exercise is OK for you.
- Drink water instead of soda, juice, or juice drinks.
- Keep a positive attitude. Don’t forget that healthy weight loss is one to two pounds per week.
