Keep weight off

Người đăng: Unknown on Thứ Tư, 29 tháng 5, 2013


If you've achieved your target weight, well done! But don't undo all the good work by reverting to old habits.
Adults are advised to do 150 minutes of physical activity every week. Read more about activity guidelines for adults andolder adults
The effects of quick-fix dietsoften don't last, as many people fall back into old eating and activity habits after the weight is lost. If you find your weight is going back up again, it's time to take action.

How to keep weight off

The key to reaching your ideal weight and then keeping weight off is to make long-term changes to your diet and lifestyle that you can stick to for life.
The following tips are likely to help keep weight off:
  • Stick to lower-calorie eating. A lower-fat, higher-protein diet has been shown to help maintain weight loss for some people. This could be because protein-rich meals make you feel fuller more quickly, making you less likely to snack between meals.
  • Plan ahead. Maintain your healthier eating habits regardless of changes in your routine, such as eating out, weekends or holidays. By planning ahead, you're less likely to slip up.
  • Eat breakfast. Research shows that breakfast can help people control their weight. Having breakfast can help you avoid getting too hungry and snacking later on.
  • Stay activeBuild up your physical activity levels. So if you’ve already been walking regularly, think about walking for longer, or start running.
  • Watch your weight. Weigh yourself regularly so you can keep a close eye on any changes to your weight.
  • Get support. If you have talked to a health professional about your weight in the past, make sure you go back regularly to get support from them.
  • Keep it interesting. Variety is the spice of life, so if you feel yourself slipping back into old ways, mix things up a bit. Buy a new healthy cookbook, sign up for a healthy cooking course or try a new activity.
  • Set yourself goals. These can help to motivate you into keeping up your healthy diet and exercise regime. For example, is there a special occasion coming up that you want to feel your best for?

What should I eat now?

As a guide, the average man needs about 2,500 calories and the average woman needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain their weight. If you’ve been eating a lower calorie diet and you've now reached a healthy weight, you may want to increase your calorie intake. But do it by small amounts to avoid putting on weight again and remember to keep active.

More weight to lose?

“When we look at people who lose weight successfully, the lessons are clear,” says Dr Andrew Brewster, a GP with a special interest in obesity and weight management. “A combination of diet changes and changes to their level of physical activity is the best method. The key is making small changes that you can keep for life, rather than drastic changes that you only stick to for a few weeks.
“You don’t need to achieve a healthy weight overnight. Losing even a few kilos can make a huge difference to the health of someone who is overweight.”
You can check the weight range that is healthy for you by using our Healthy weight calculator. Set a realistic target. Give yourself enough time to work towards your goal – the safe rate of weight loss is between 1lb and 2lb (0.5kg and 1kg) a week.
Download the new NHS 12-week weight loss guide.

Healthy food swaps

To start, you might decide to swap just one high-calorie snack a day with something healthier. For example, you could have a smoothie or a piece of fruit instead of a morning pastry. Or you could choose a drink that's lower in fat, sugar or alcohol and therefore contains fewer calories. For example, you could swap a sugary, fizzy drink for sparkling water with a slice of lemon. You can learn more about small, healthy changes to your diet by reading Healthy food swaps. On the whole, eating less while maintaining a balanced diet and being more active will keep weight off.
You can also find lots of information on eating a healthy, balanced diet in Food and diet.

Exercise

When it comes to physical activity, find ways to fit more movement into your day. It’s recommended that adults between 19 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity – such as fast walking or cycling – every week. If you are new to activity then you should try to build up to this amount gradually. For more information, see Physical activity guidelines for adults.
Being physically active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. People who do regular activity have a lower risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and stroke.
For many, brisk walking is a great way to fit activity into daily life. Learn more in the 10,000 steps challenge.
There's more information and advice on getting active in Fitness.

Stick to the changes

Once you’ve identified the lifestyle changes you want to make, give yourself time to make them part of your life.
At some point, the weight loss that results from these changes will stop and your weight will stabilise. But it’s important to remember that if you want to maintain your new, healthier weight, you need to stick to the changes.
“This is where many people slip up,” says Dr Brewster. “They feel as though the changes they’ve made 'aren’t working any more', and so they go back to old habits. In fact, the changes are working, as they are keeping you at your new weight. If you let go of them, you’ll put weight back on.
“Really get those changes set into your lifestyle. Once you’ve done that and your weight has stayed the same for a while, if you’re still not a healthy weight you can think about another set of small changes.
“That’s the step-by-step method that will give you the best chance of achieving a healthy weight long term.”
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Should you lose weight fast?

Người đăng: Unknown on Thứ Sáu, 17 tháng 5, 2013


When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s tempting to want results as fast as possible. But remember, very rapid weight loss is unlikely to help you to maintain a healthy weight long-term. And it comes with health risks.

You can monitor your weight loss progress using ourHealthy weight calculator.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re probably keen to see, and feel, a difference quickly.
It can be tempting to put your trust in one of the countless schemes that promise rapid, easy weight loss.
Unfortunately, even if these fad diets do help you to lose weight, you’re unlikely to maintain a healthy weight in the months and years afterwards.
If you’re visualising a future in which you’ve shed your excess weight, the best choice is to make healthy changes to your diet and levels of physical activity that lead to a safe, steady rate of weight loss, and that last a lifetime.
Weight loss tends to plateau after a while and you may need to make further changes. If after six to nine months you haven’t achieved a healthy weight, talk to your GP for advice on the next steps.

Safe rates of weight loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, the safe weekly rate of weight loss is between 0.5kg and 1kg. That’s between around 1lb and 2lb a week.
Lose weight faster than this, and you are at risk of health problems that include malnutrition and gallstones, as well as feeling tired and unwell.
Fad diets (that involve simply changing your diet for a few weeks) associated with very rapid weight loss are also unlikely to lead you to a healthy weight in the long-term.

Take action

You can learn more about the diet and physical activity changes that can lead you to a healthy weight future in Lose Weight.
Remember: the goal is not overnight success. The secret is sticking to the changes you’ve made, and you can find useful tips from real-life slimmers in Weight loss motivation.
You can monitor your progress using our Healthy weight calculator. This interactive tool calculates your body mass index (BMI), which is a measure of whether you are a healthy weight for your height.
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'Is weight loss surgery right for me?'

Người đăng: Unknown on Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 4, 2013


If you’re very obese and you’ve already tried improving your diet and exercise levels without success, then weight loss surgery could be the right option for you. But it’s not a short cut to losing weight easily as it will mean changing the way you eat forever.

If you are overweight, the best way to lose weight is by making long-lasting changes to your diet and level of physical activity. You can learn how by reading more articles in Lose weight.
But in cases where lifestyle changes, accompanied by weight loss medicines when appropriate, are not enough, then weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, may be an option.
When considering weight loss surgery, it’s important to bear the following in mind:
  • Weight loss surgery should be seen as a last resort.
  • Not everyone is eligible to have it done on the NHS.
  • After surgery, you will never be able to eat the same way again, or you will become very ill if you do.
  • After surgery, you will need to follow a carefully controlled diet and take regular exercise.
You’ll need to show that you’ve changed your diet and lifestyle before the operation, and you'll have to stick to long-term changes afterwards. But surgery can help very overweight people to lose significant excess weight.
If you’re interested in weight loss surgery, talk to your GP to learn more.

What is weight loss surgery?

There are two main kinds of weight loss surgery.
  • Gastric banding. Here, a band is fitted around the top of the stomach. This causes a feeling of fullness after eating a very small amount of food, and means that food must be eaten very slowly.
  • Gastric bypass. Here, a much smaller stomach is made. This causes a feeling of fullness after eating a small amount of food, and means that the body absorbs fewer calories.
Both procedures are designed to be permanent. Learn more about these and less common weight loss operations.

Who can have weight loss surgery? 

Your GP can assess you to see if weight loss surgery is right for you.
To be considered for weight loss surgery on the NHS, you should have a body mass index (BMI) of:
  • 40 or more
  • (or) a BMI of between 35 and 40 along with a weight-related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure
You can find out your BMI by using our Healthy weight calculator.
You should also:
  • be able to commit to long-term follow-up appointments after the operation
  • have tried to lose weight by changing your diet and exercise levels for at least six months
  • be healthy enough to have an operation under general anaesthetic  
Even if you pay for private surgery, it's still likely that your surgeon will only agree to the operation if similar criteria are met, because of the risks associated with such major surgery. 

What does the operation involve?

Before the operationIf your GP thinks that weight loss surgery is right for you, you’ll be referred to a specialist weight loss team.
A consultant will assess you to decide if weight loss surgery is the right step to take. The consultant should explain more to you about the different types of surgery. They should also discuss the weight loss that can result, and the changes to your lifestyle that you will need to make afterwards.
They will also discuss the risks and possible side effects of surgery. Weight loss surgery is carried out under general anaesthetic. Serious complications with general anaesthetics are rare, but can be more likely when you are overweight.
If you and the specialist team decide to go ahead with surgery, you should be offered ongoing psychological support and help with changing your diet and lifestyle before the operation.
Many people who undergo weight loss surgery must go on a special, very low calorie diet before having the surgery. This is meant to lose the excess fat stored in the liver, so that surgeons are able to carry out the operation. It's important for you to meet a dietitian who can help you with this diet, and it is essential that you stick to it.
Having the operationThe type of weight loss surgery you have will depend on your circumstances, including how overweight you are and any other health problems you have.
Most people who have a gastric band operation stay overnight in hospital, but this varies between treatment centres.
With a gastric bypass, the stay in hospital is typically between one and three nights.
After the operationYour specialist team should schedule several follow-up appointments running across a year or more, and it is important that you attend all of them.
This ongoing specialist team support is vital to the long-term success of the surgery, because it will help you to change former eating habits, and to adapt to a new lifestyle.
Remember, after your operation you will never again be able to eat as you did before. This means changing your eating patterns. A dietitian in your specialist team will be able to help you with this.
They will give advice on a healthy diet and supplements that will provide you with the nutrients and energy you need.
If you were fitted with a gastric band, it may be necessary to adjust it. This is done by injecting fluid into a small port that sits underneath the surface of your skin, and if necessary it will be done at follow-up appointments.
Following weight loss surgery, you will feel full after very small portions of food. You’ll need to eat small portions of food at mealtimes. It will take much longer to eat, and you’ll have to chew food very thoroughly. If you try to eat too much you may experience discomfort, or may vomit.

How long after surgery would I start losing weight?

Your weight loss will also be monitored at the follow-up appointments. If you have been fitted with a gastric band, you should aim for a steady rate of weight loss at around 1lb or 2lb (about 0.5kg or 1kg) a week, that continues for a year to 18 months.
If you have had a stomach bypass it is common to lose weight faster than this at first. But over time, the weight loss resulting from gastric bypass and gastric band procedures is the same.
If you were very overweight, you may not achieve a healthy BMI even once your weight loss has stopped. But moving closer to a healthy BMI will decrease your risk of serious health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Once you have recovered from surgery, exercising regularly will help you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
You can find more information and advice in recommendations after weight loss surgery
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How can I speed up my metabolism?

Người đăng: Unknown on Thứ Hai, 8 tháng 4, 2013


It’s not unusual to hear people blame their weight gain on a slow metabolism.

They’ve cut down on calories and take regular exercise yet they’re still not losing weight. The only other possible diagnosis, they expertly conclude, is a slow metabolism.
What is a slow metabolism? How does it affect your weight and can you do anything to speed it up?
Professor James Timmons, a metabolism expert from Loughborough University, gives your metabolism a closer examination.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism describes all the chemical processes that go on continuously inside the body to keep you alive and your organs functioning normally, such as breathing, repairing cells and digesting food.
These chemical processes require energy. The minimum amount of energy your body requires to carry out these chemical processes is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR accounts for anything between 50% and 80% of your body’s daily energy requirements depending on how active you are. A ‘slow metabolism’ is more accurately described as a low BMR.
There are many BMR calculators available online. Look out for BMR calculators using the Harris-Benedict equation, which is the most widely used method for estimating your BMR.

Do some people have a faster metabolism than others?

Body size, age, gender and genes all play a role in determining your metabolic rate.
Muscle cells require more energy to maintain than fat cells, so people with a higher muscle to fat ratio tend to have a higher BMR.
As we get older, we tend to gain fat and lose muscle. This explains why the BMR tends to decrease with age.
In general, men tend to have a faster metabolism as they have more muscle mass, heavier bones and less body fat than women, which is why their daily calorie allowance is higher.

Calorie allowances

An average man needs around 2,500kcal a day. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age and levels of physical activity, as well as other factors.

Your metabolism may be partly determined by your genes, although this is not yet fully understood. Genes definitely play a role in muscle size and your ability to grow muscles, both of which affect your metabolism.

Am I fat because of a slow metabolism?

People who struggle to lose weight often blame a slow metabolism. However, studies show that some overweight people may actually have a higher metabolism than their leaner counterparts. This is because they have larger bodies with bigger muscles and internal organs.
Research has also shown that people tend to eat more than they think they do. When asked to write down everything they've consumed in a day, many people tend to report eating far less than they actually do.
More often than not, the reason you’re putting on weight is not because of a slow metabolism, it’s because you’re eating too much. It may be hard to accept, but staying on top of the number of calories you eat is key to losing weight and keeping it off.

Can losing weight too fast slow my metabolism?

Crash diets and other calorie-restricted diets can reduce your BMR. With some diets, your body is forced to break down muscle to use for energy. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. With less muscle and a slower metabolism, it then becomes a lot easier to put body fat back on after coming off the diet.

What can I do to speed up my metabolism?

It is claimed that certain foods and drinks can boost your metabolism, including green tea, black coffee, spices and energy drinks. The evidence behind these claims is flimsy, the effect on your metabolism is marginal at best and each person will respond differently to each product. Based on the best available research, below are the most effective ways to speed up your metabolism:
Build muscle
The body requires more energy to maintain muscle tissue than fat stores, so people with a higher muscle to fat ratio have a faster metabolic rate. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights and high intensity bouts of exercise. Heavy gardening may also do the job.
Be active
Being constantly on the move and reducing time spent sitting down will help you burn more calories. Movement itself requires energy but it also stimulates hormones and protein breakdown, both of which increase your metabolic rate. The more you move, the more calories you burn.
Exercise vigorously
Short, sharp bursts of exercise, such as high intensity training (HIT), spinning on a bicycle or sprinting uphill, will elevate your metabolism. Vigorous intensity exercise gives the metabolism a jolt and helps maintain muscle size in a way that longer, moderate intensity exercise doesn't. If you're new to exercise or getting back into it, you're advised to get the all-clear from a health professional before engaging in vigorous exercise.
Eat protein
Food containing protein promotes muscle growth and requires more energy to digest than other food. Make sure you’re eating enough protein to achieve a balanced diet. Healthy sources of protein include lean meat, skinless white meat, poultry, fish, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs and lower-fat dairy products. Food high in protein also helps make you feel full for longer.
Turn down the heatingNew research suggests turning down the heating or wearing fewer clothes can help burn calories. Colder temperatures are thought to activate your body’s brown fat deposits to burn calories to keep you warm. It was previously thought only babies had brown fat but several recent studies have found brown fat in adults, prompting research into how brown fat can help weight management.

Can certain medical conditions cause a slow metabolism?

Some diseases and conditions can slow a person’s metabolism, such as Cushing’s syndrome and hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), but these are rare, and more often than not, people’s weight is a matter of eating too many calories and a lack of muscle building exercise. However, if you feel that you may have a problem that’s not responding to lifestyle changes, seek medical advice.
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Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas Part 2

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11. Clean your closet of the “fat” clothes. Once you’ve reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn’t fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.
12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you’ll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you’ll eat — regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they’re not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide). The same goes for liquids. Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.
13. Serve your dinner restaurant style (food on the plates) rather than family style (food served in bowls and on platters on the table). When your plate is empty, you’re finished; there’s no reaching for seconds.
14. Hang a mirror opposite your seat at the table. One study found that eating in front of mirrors slashed the amount people ate by nearly one-third. Seems having to look yourself in the eye reflects back some of your own inner standards and goals, and reminds you of why you’re trying to lose weight in the first place.
15. Put out a vegetable platter. A body of research out of Pennsylvania State University finds that eating water-rich foods such as zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers during meals reduces your overall calorie consumption. Other water-rich foods include soups and salads. You won’t get the same benefits by just drinking your water, though. Because the body processes hunger and thirst through different mechanisms, it simply doesn’t register a sense of fullness with water (or soda, tea, coffee, or juice).
16. Use vegetables to bulk up meals. You can eat twice as much pasta salad loaded with veggies like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes for the same calories as a pasta salad sporting just mayonnaise. Same goes for stir-fries. And add vegetables to make a fluffier, more satisfying omelet without having to up the number of eggs.
17. Eat one less cookie a day. Or consume one less can of regular soda, or one less glass of orange juice, or three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger. Doing any of these saves you about 100 calories a day, according to weight-loss researcher James O. Hill, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado. And that alone is enough to prevent you from gaining the 1.8 to 2 pounds most people pack on each year.
18. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today’s lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn’t toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white stuff.
19. Switch to ordinary coffee. Fancy coffee drinks from trendy coffee joints often pack several hundred calories, thanks to whole milk, whipped cream, sugar, and sugary syrups. A cup of regular coffee with skim milk has just a small fraction of those calories. And when brewed with good beans, it tastes just as great.
20. Use nonfat powdered milk in coffee. You get the nutritional benefits of skim milk, which is high in calcium and low in calories. And, because the water has been removed, powdered milk doesn’t dilute the coffee the way skim milk does.
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Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas part1

Người đăng: Unknown

You know the drill when it comes to losing weight -- take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician's campaign pledges. Here are more than 50 easy ways for you to finally lose the weight




If you’re trying to drop a few pounds, don’t start off by trying to overhaul all your eating and exercise habits. You’re better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis—along with following the cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should send the scale numbers in the right direction: down.
1. Indulge in fat releasing foods. They should help keep you from feeling deprived and binging on higher-calorie foods. For instance:
  • Honey. Just 64 fat releasing calories in one tablespoon. Drizzle on fresh fruit.
  • Eggs. Just 70 calories in one hard-boiled egg, loaded with fat releasing protein. Sprinkle with chives for an even more elegant treat.
  • Part-skim ricotta cheese. Just 39 calories in one ounce of this food, packed with fat releasing calcium. Dollop over a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
  • Dark chocolate. About 168 calories in a one-ounce square, but it’s packed with fat releasing fiber.
  • Shrimp. Just 60 calories in 12 large.
  • MORE: 13 fat releasing foods »
2. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Cut down on the chips by pairing each bite with lots of chunky, filling fresh salsa, suggests Jeff Novick, director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Florida. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.
3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That’s nearly 90,000 calories a year — or 25 pounds! And research shows that despite the calories, sugary drinks don’t trigger a sense of fullness the way that food does.
4. Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips—even water. Studies have found that people who maintain food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t.
5. Buy a pedometer, clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day. On average, sedentary people take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you maintain your current weight and stop gaining weight; adding more than that will help you lose weight.
6. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.
7. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger.
8. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we’re suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating.
9. Find an online weight-loss buddy. A University of Vermont study found that online weight-loss buddies help you keep the weight off. The researchers followed volunteers for 18 months. Those assigned to an Internet-based weight maintenance program sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face in a support group.
10. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There’s a good reason you won’t see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.


Read more: http://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/easy-ways-to-lose-weight-50-ideas/#ixzz2PrP7ax1U
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How to Lose Weight - The Basics of Weight Loss

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At it's most basic, losing weight is about burning more calories than you eat. That seems simple enough, but if were really that simple, none of us would have a weight problem. Too often we take drastic measures to see results -- diets, pills or those weird fitness gadgets on infomercials that promise instant success. Maybe you lose weight but what happens when you go off that diet or stop that crazy workout program? You gain it all back and more. The real secret to weight loss is to make small, lasting changes. The key is to forget about instant results and settle in for the long run.


To lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. That sounds like a lot of calories and you certainly wouldn't want to try to burn 3500 calories in one day. However, by taking it step-by-step, you can determine just what you need to do each day to burn or cut out those extra calories. Below is a step by step process for getting started.
  1. Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). YourBMR is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion. This is the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day. Keep in mind that no calculator will be 100% accurate, so you may need to adjust these numbers as you learn more about your own metabolism.
  2. Calculate your activity level. For a week or so, keep an activity journal and use a calorie calculatorto figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. throughout the day. Another, easier option is to wear a heart rate monitor that calculates calories burned. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you burn each day.
  3. Keep track of how many calories you eat. For at least a week, enter and track your calories online (e.g., with Calorie Count) or use a food journal to write down what you eat and drink each day. Be as accurate as possible, measuring when you need to or looking up nutritional information for restaurants, if you eat out. After a week, add your totals for each day and average them out to get a general idea of how many calories you eat each day.
  4. Add it up. Take your BMR number and add your activity calories. Then subtract your food calories from that total. If you're eating more than your BMR + your activity calories, you're at risk for gaining weight.
Example:
Mary's BMR is 1400 calories and she burns 900 calories with regular exercise, walking around and doing household chores. To maintain her weight, she should be eating 2300 calories (1400 + 900= 2300). However, after keeping a food journal, Mary finds that she's eating 2550 calories every day. By eating 250 more calories than her body needs, Mary will gain about a pound every 2-3 weeks.
This example shows how easy it is to gain weight without even knowing it. However, it's also easy to lose weight, even if the process itself can be slow. You can start by making small changes in your diet and activity levels and immediately start burning more calories than you're eating. If you can find a way to burn an extra 200 to 500 calories most days of the week with both exercise and diet, you're on the right track. Try these ideas:

Instead of...Do this...
An afternoon CokeDrink a glass of water. (calories saved: 97)
An Egg McMuffinEat a small whole wheat bagel +1 Tbsp of peanut butter (calories saved: 185)
Using your break eat sweetsWalk up and down a flight of stairs for 10 minutes (calories burned: 100)
Hitting the snooze buttonGet up 10 minutes early and go for a brisk walk (calories burned: 100)
Watching TV after workDo 10 minutes of yoga (calories burned: 50)

Total Calories Saved: 532 (based on a 140-pound person)
Exercise is an important weight loss tool, but how much you need varies from person to person. The guidelines recommend at least 250 minutes per week, which comes out to about 50 minutes, 5 days a week. If you're a beginner, start small, for example with 3 days of cardio for 15-30 minutes, gradually adding time each week to give your body time to adapt. Learn more about getting in shape and getting started with exercise.
Source:
Donnelly, J.; Blair, S.; Jakicic, J.; et al. Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults. Med & Sci in Sports & Ex: Feb, 2009. Vol 41, Issue 2.
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Lose Weight Fast: How to Do It Safely

Người đăng: Unknown

Sick of crash diets and fad diets? Follow these healthy tips.


Working on weight loss? Then you probably want results -- fast.
Let me save you some time: skip the fad diets. Their results don't last. And you have healthier options you can start on -- today!
fruit and vegetables on scale
You can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, says weight loss counselor Katherine Tallmadge, RD.

How to Lose Weight Fast

If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.
If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.
For instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut calories any further -- that's dangerous.
Limiting salt and starches may also mean losing more weight at first -- but that's mostly fluids, not fat.
"When you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get started," says Michael Dansinger, MD, of NBC's The Biggest Loser show.

Diets for Fast Weight Loss

Dansinger recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, he recommends focusing  on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.
Here are more tips from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet:
  • Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Get tempting foods out of your home.
  • Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
  • Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
  • Don't skip meals.
Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.
"Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very effective tool for weight loss," says Bonnie Taub Dix, MA, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It.
Besides jotting down what you ate, and when, you might also want to note how you were feeling right before you ate it. Were you angry, sad, or bored? We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a huge part of our eating habits.
If you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating, please consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other ways to handle your feelings.
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Start losing weight If you're overweight

Người đăng: Unknown on Chủ Nhật, 31 tháng 3, 2013


If you're overweight, losing weight will bring you a range of important health benefits. The key to success? Making realistic changes to your diet and level of physical activity that can become a part of your daily routine.
Evidence shows that the best way to lose weight is to make long-term changes to diet and physical activity that result in a steady rate of weight loss. Aim to lose weight at around 0.5kg to 1kg a week (1lb to 2lb), until you achieve a healthy BMI
This guide can help you to start your journey towards a healthy weight. Once you’re on the way, there is lots of information and advice that can help you keep going in our Lose weight section.
Along the way, you can monitor changes in your body mass index (BMI) using our Healthy weight calculator.

Commit to change

Physical activity recommendations for adults

People who are overweight or obese should first aim to gradually build up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week
Modern life can make it easy to eat and drink more than we realise and do little physical activity. The result is often weight gain.
To lose weight, we need to change our current habits. This means eating less – even when eating a healthy, balanced diet – and getting more active.
Drastic fad diets and exercise regimes that result in rapid weight loss are unlikely to work for long, because these kinds of lifestyle changes can’t be maintained. Once you stop the regime, you’re likely to return to old habits and regain weight.
Instead, choose diet and physical activity changes that you can make a part of your daily routine, and stick to for life.
Ready to get started?

Do today

You can take four actions today that will start your journey towards a healthy weight:
  • If you haven’t already, check your BMI with our Healthy weight calculator. If your BMI is in the overweight range, aim to achieve a weight that puts your BMI in the healthy range. If it is in the obese range, aim to lose between 5% and 10% of your starting weight. Having lots of muscle may put your BMI in the unhealthy range, even if you have little body fat. However, this will not apply to most people.
  • Now take the next snack you plan to have and swap it for something healthier. Many common snacks, such as sweets, chocolate, biscuits and crisps, are high in fat and sugar and supply calories that we don’t need. Today, swap your elevenses or mid-afternoon snack for a piece of fruit, a fruit bun or a slice of malt loaf with a low-fat spread. Aim to do the same every day: you’ve adopted your first weight loss habit.
  • Try to swap drinks that are high in calories for drinks that are lower in fat and sugars. Swap a sugary fizzy drink for a sparkling water with a slice of lemon. Don't forget that alcohol is also high in calories, so cutting down could help you to control your weight.
  • Next, find a way to fit just one extra walk into your day. Fast walking is a way to burn calories, and you can often fit it into your daily routine. You might walk to the shops during your lunch break, or get off the bus one stop early on the way home and walk the rest of the way. Commit to this and you’ve adopted your second long-term habit. Ideally, you should aim to walk 10,000 steps a day: it’s not as many as it sounds. Learn more in Walking for health.
  • Last, think about your breakfast tomorrow morning. Can you make it healthier, using the foods you already have at home? Get ideas in Five healthy breakfasts.

Do this week

There are four actions you can take this week:
  • First, plan a healthy weekly shop. Healthy, balanced meals are key to a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet often starts with having the right foods at home. At the supermarket look out for fresh foods and healthier options. Stuck for ideas? See our Healthy recipes.
  • Everyone likes a treat occasionally, like a pizza or a takeaway. So this week, swap your treat for a healthier, home-made alternative as you can make lower-calorie versions of many takeaway foods at home. If you do order in, choose healthier options: see Healthier takeaways.
  • Next, commit to one more way to increase your level of physical activity. The right amount of physical activity for you depends on your age. It’s recommended that adults between 19 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity – such as fast walking or cycling – per week, and you are likely to need more to lose weight. For more on how much activity to do and what counts as activity, see Physical activity guidelines for adults. You could try our Couch to 5K programme, which is designed to get just about anyone off the couch and running 5km in nine weeks. For more ideas see our Health and fitness section and our step-by-step exercise guides for beginners. 
  • Last, identify this week’s danger zones. These are times when you might find yourself eating lots of  foods that are high in fat and sugar, perhaps because you are eating out or simply because you’re tired or stressed. Plan ahead, so that you can limit those foods. But don’t be too strict: an indulgence from time to time is fine. For more advice, see Diet danger zones.
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Eight tips for healthy eating

Người đăng: Unknown on Chủ Nhật, 24 tháng 3, 2013


Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. It doesn't have to be difficult either. Just follow these eight diet tips to get started.

Download Losing weight: Getting started, a 12-week weight loss guide that combines advice on healthier eating and physical activity.
The key to a healthy diet is to do the following:
  • Eat the right number ofcalories for how active you are, so that you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat or drink too much, you’ll put on weight. If you eat and drink too little, you’ll lose weight. The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day. The average woman needs 2,000 calories. Most adults are eating more calories than they need, and should eat fewer calories.
  • Eat a wide range of foods to ensure that you’re getting a balanced diet and that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.

Get started

The eatwell plate
  • To help you get the right balance of the five main food groups, take a look at the eatwell plate (PDF, 120kb)
  • To maintain a healthy diet, the eatwell plate shows you how much of what you eat should come from each food group
These practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating, and can help you make healthier choices:
Base your meals on starchy foods Starchy foods should make up around one third of the foods you eat. Starchy foods include potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread. Choose wholegrain varieties when you can: they contain more fibre, and can make you feel full for longer. Most of us should eat more starchy foods: try to include at least one starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram they contain fewer than half the calories of fat. Learn more in Starchy foods.
Eat lots of fruit and veg 
It’s recommended that we eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and veg a day. It’s easier than it sounds. A glass of 100% unsweetened fruit juice can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for some dried fruit? Learn more in 5 A DAY.
Eat more fishFish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat at least two portions a week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish is high in omega-3 fats, which may help to prevent heart disease. You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned; but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt. Oily fish include salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, fresh tuna, sardines and pilchards. Non-oily fish include haddock, plaice, coley, cod, tinned tuna, skate and hake. Anyone who regularly eats a lot of fish should try to choose as wide a variety as possible.
Cut down on saturated fat and sugarWe all need some fat in our diet. But it’s important to pay attention to the amount and type of fat we’re eating. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as hard cheese, cakes, biscuits, sausages, cream, butter, lard and pies. Try to cut down, and choose foods that contain unsaturated rather than saturated fats, such as vegetable oils, oily fish and avocados. For a healthier choice, use a just a small amount of vegetable oil or reduced fat spread instead of butter, lard or ghee. When you're having meat, choose lean cuts and cut off any visible fat. Learn more, and get tips on cutting down, in Eat less saturated fat.

Most people in the UK eat and drink too much sugar. Sugary foods and drinks, including alcoholic drinks, are often high in calories, and could contribute to weight gain. They can also cause tooth decay, especially if eaten between meals. Cut down on sugary fizzy drinks, alcoholic drinks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, which contain added sugars: this is the kind of sugar we should be cutting down on rather than sugars that are found naturally in foods such as fruit and milk. Food labels can help: use them to check how much sugar foods contain. More than 15g of sugar per 100g means that the food is high in sugar. Learn more in Sugars and Understanding food labels.
Eat less salt
Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. About three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Use food labels to help you cut down. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt. Adults and children over 11 should eat no more than 6g of salt a day. Younger children should have even less. Learn more in Salt: the facts.
Get active and be a healthy weightEating a healthy, balanced diet plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy weight, which is an important part of overall good health. Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke. Being underweight could also affect your health. Check whether you’re a healthy weight by using ourHealthy weight calculator. Most adults need to lose weight, and need to eat fewer calories in order to do this. If you're trying to lose weight, aim to eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help: aim to cut down on foods that are high in fat and sugar, and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Don't forget that alcohol is also high in calories, so cutting down can help you to control your weight. You can find information and advice in Lose weight. If you’re underweight, see Underweight adults. If you're worried about your weight, ask your GP or a dietitian for advice. Physical activity can help you to maintain weight loss or be a healthy weight. Being active doesn’t have to mean hours at the gym: you can find ways to fit more activity into your daily life. For example, try getting off the bus one stop early on the way home from work, and walking. Being physically active may help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. For more ideas, see Get active your way. After getting active, remember not to reward yourself with a treat that is high in calories. If you feel hungry after activity, choose foods or drinks that are lower in calories but still filling.
Don't get thirstyWe need to drink about 1.2 litres of fluid every day to stop us getting dehydrated. This is in addition to the fluid we get from the food we eat. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, milk and fruit juices are the most healthy. Try to avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks that are high in added sugars and can be high in calories and bad for teeth. When the weather is warm, or when we get active, we may need more. Learn more in Drinks.
Don’t skip breakfast
Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight. In fact, research shows that eating breakfast can help people control their weight. A healthy breakfast is an important part of a balanced diet, and provides some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. Wholemeal cereal, with fruit sliced over the top is a tasty and nutritious breakfast.

More information

Learn more about healthy eating in A balanced diet, and read about the energy contained in food in Understanding calories.
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