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Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. [1]Finally. Learn how to lose that unwanted excess weight and get the definition and health benefits you've been wanting.
Steps
- Remember fat is not as important as calories for controlling weight. Just make sure you’re eating healthy monounsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats instead of saturated and Trans fat. The less, the better. You should not be eating more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.
- Cut down on processed foods. Stick with all natural foods which have little added preservatives and chemicals. If you can’t find it in nature think twice before you eat it.
- Eat more. Yep you heard right. Instead of the 3 square meals a day, go for 6 micro meals to keep your metabolism geared up to burn and your insulin levels steady.
- Eat more protein. Your body needs protein to support the muscle it has. Also, muscle helps speed your metabolism since it requires 50 calories a day just to support a pound of muscle. Just make sure you’re sticking with quality proteins such as lean meats, fish, and poultry. Whey and Soy Proteins are also good choices. Stay away from meats with high saturated fats.
- Eat your protein at every meal. Spread it evenly throughout the day. This way your body is constantly using it for rebuilding all day long.
- Control your portions by eating low energy-density foods. Foods such as vegetables and fruits have low energy density which make them less likely to be overeaten. They are also packed with nutrients such as vitamins and minerals which ensure your metabolism has the resources to do its job more efficiently.
- Don't cut out any one food group. You should be consuming carbohydrates, protein, and fat at every meal. This will keep you balanced.
- Limit your liquid intake. Drinks such as soda and fruit juices have tons of calories which can add up quickly without leaving you full. Switching to a diet soda can reduce the calories, but in order to become truly healthy, even these types of drinks should be avoided.
- Drink more H20. Water is a major player in weight control. Besides being a major part of your body, water helps flush metabolic wastes keeping your metabolism charged. It also helps you feel fuller, helping you to eat less. Don't wait until you feel thirsty. Start by drinking at least a half-gallon of water everyday. For active people, move up to a gallon per day.
- Eat more fiber. By consuming at least 30 grams of fiber daily, you will feel fuller than you would by not eating the fiber. Fiber also helps out your health by latching on to LDL cholesterol and flushing it out of your system. Some good sources of fiber include vegetables (with the skin), fruits (with the skin), whole-grain breads, and high fiber cereals such as Kashi and Fiber One. One simple thing to boost fiber intake would be to eat an Orange instead of drinking Orange Juice. It has less calories, more fiber and bound to make you feel more satisfied.
- Eat your complex grains early in the day and then stick with the water rich carbohydrates such as fruit in the evening. This has to do with the way insulin is secreted into the bloodstream.
- Make some changes. While eating healthy is a good start, you’re never going to reach your full potential for a leaner body unless you get active and start sleeping better. Aim for 7-8 hours per night More or less than that can have negative effects on your health.
- Stay away from fast food, or at least don't eat it as often. It is a far healthier option to cook a nice meal at home.
- Eat your meals slower. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to know when you're full. If you eat too quickly, you may have eaten too much before your body knows when the limit is reached.
- Eat some fish. Fish, such as salmon, is rich in Omega-3s, which is an Essential Fatty Acid. This helps keep your heart healthy, and keeps the bad fat out. Fatty fish such as salmon, halibut and shellfish help reduce the size of fat cells and help out with fat loss.
- Switch to lower glycemic foods. See some good ones at: http://www.gycemicindex.com
- Cut out all hydrogenated fats (Trans fat), and High Fructose Corn Syrup. Both are keeping you fat. They send signals to the brain telling you that you are not full even though you have eaten. This is why it’s hard to drink 3 big glasses of water, but easy to down a 2 liter bottle of soda.
- Exercise! This is essential if you want to burn fat!
- Don't starve yourself. While eating healthy is great, don't stress yourself out by not eating the foods you love some of the time. Have a piece of cake at the party. Share a beer or two at the bar. The key is moderation. Try not to overdo it and limit your cheats to once a week.
- Be smart about what you eat.
Tips
- Mix strength training with cardio exercise to boost your metabolism and fat loss.
- Don't fall into a daze while working out on the treadmill or bike. It should feel "comfortably hard". Go too easy and you won't see any results.
- On that note, don't go too hard either. You'll end up hurting yourself and getting injured which will lead to a lack of exercise.
Warnings
- Make sure you consult a doctor before beginning any type of health plan or exercise regimen.
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Sources and Citations
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