Do you have your list of resolutions ready to go for next year? Now that you have some idea about what changes you want to make, what is the next step?
Let’s take a common example of “lose weight”.
First make sure that you have a specific goal, such as losing 10 pounds by March 1. What kinds of things go into losing weight? Well, we know you need to eat healthy, consume fewer calories, and exercise. Do you have any particular diet that worked in the past?
Remember, we need to be going for lifestyle habit changes, not a short-term diet program. The healthiest diet to eat is probably the Mediterranean-style diet. However, any diet that focuses more on whole foods rather than processed foods is going to be excellent.
You do need to know how many calories you are regularly consuming so you will know how much to cut back by. You can try using any number of apps to help with figuring out your calorie intake. There are several free ones such as My Fitness Pal and Lose It. You should aim to lose no more than 1 pound per week to keep the weight loss going. Usually, that means that you need to eat 250 to 500 cal fewer each day. Eating higher-fiber foods can make you feel more full, and also are excellent for your digestion. Make sure you are drinking some extra water if you are eating more fiber.
While exercise can help you burn more calories, it is unlikely that you will lose much weight with only increasing your exercise. Things such as brisk walking might only burn about 30 cal in half an hour. However, studies have shown that people who lose weight and keep it off exercise about 300 hours per week, which is five hours. Both aerobic exercise, such as walking/running/cycling, and weight training are helpful. Make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet. If you are cutting back on your calories this will help your body repair from the new stress.
If you would like more help with your weight loss, feel free to contact us. Certainly, there are several weight loss medications that can help you lose weight and help keep it off. WFMC also has a support weight loss group that meets weekly via Zoom.