How to Eat & Lose Weight Safely With Diet & Exercise

There are many quick-fix diets that promise rapid weight loss by restricting calories or even entire food groups. These crash diets deprive you from getting the nutrients your body needs and they can lead to dangerous yo-yo dieting and eating disorders. Healthy and safe weight loss, that stays off, is accomplished by making healthy eating and regular exercise a part of your lifestyle.

Instructions

1

Lose 1 lb a week by cutting 500 calories out of your diet every day. If you lose more than 2 lbs per week, you lose water and lean muscle, not fat. Your body's famine alert will be triggered where it holds onto fat instead or reducing it.

2

Eat often so your body is constantly converting food into energy resulting in fat loss and steady energy and blood sugar levels. Eat five to six, small portions on a daily basis. Avoid consuming calories from junk food, sugar, alcohol and refined products. Load up on vegetables and fruits. Consume tuna, chicken, turkey, fish or beans and legumes for protein. Enjoy carbohydrates from whole-grain and fiber-rich products.

3

Take up physical activity that increases your heart rate and metabolism. Burn calories by jogging, walking, swimming or biking. Challenge yourself and keep from getting bored, by performing different kinds of cardiovascular exercise. Enjoy group sports, aerobics classes or purchase some exercise DVD's. Exercise up to 45 minutes per day, three days of the week.

4

Perform weight lifting exercises to increase muscle mass and tone up your body. Muscle tissue stimulates your metabolism all day and night long, even when you are sleeping. Increase the amount of weight your use or perform different weight lifting exercises to stay challenged. Use your own body weight, weight lifting machines or free weights for resistance. Use empty water bottles filled with sand if you don't own any free weights and want to workout at home. Train 20 to 30 minutes per day, three days of the week on non-consecutive days.

5

Prioritize sleep because lack of sleep can lead to being less productive during the day and feeling fatigued. You need seven to nine hours of shut-eye each night.

6

Hydrate yourself by drinking eight to twelve glasses of water daily. Water fills you up so you eat less; it promotes digestive healthy, transports nutrients to cells and regulates your body temperature.