You may also want to consider signing up for physical therapy or personal trainer sessions. This is especially important to help you create realistic goals and get the kind of professional support you need to make healthy, effective changes in your life.
For food entries, try to include each item that you consume, the quantity of each item, and any health stats that you are aware of (calories, grams of fat, carbohydrates, or others). For activity entries, include the type of activity, the duration, and the intensity. For example, if you walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, write that down along with how fast you were going – either the intensity number on the machine, or a more descriptive term like “medium intensity” if you broke a sweat.
The maintenance period can help give your body a break and recover/stabilize after a period of significant weight loss. Think about where you really need to make a change—maybe there are certain days you tend to overeat or meals where you often eat too much. That can help you come up with a plan of action for how to move forward more intentionally. [4] X Expert Source Tara ColemanClinical Nutritionist Expert Interview. 22 October 2020.
Consider joining a weight loss network. It is easier to stay motivated if you have a group of people encouraging you. Programs like Weight Watchers have meetings where people can share information and remain committed.
Never plan to eat less than 1500 calories per day if you’re a male or 1200 calories a day if you’re a female. You can use online calorie calculators to plan ahead or review your past meals.
An example of a well-created plate would be one serving of a whole grain (like brown rice or quinoa) with one serving of grilled chicken breast, which should make up half of your plate. For the other half, include one serving of broccoli and one serving of carrots. Try to avoid things that have refined carbohydrates and sugars. Instead, replace them with produce and whole grains. If possible, remove most processed foods from your diet. These are usually filled with hidden sugar, fat, and calories. Studies show cooking fresh meals can help with weight loss. While eating healthier overall is a great goal, avoid overly restrictive diet plans. Those aren’t great for your body in the long-term, and they’re really hard to sustain. [9] X Expert Source Tara ColemanClinical Nutritionist Expert Interview. 22 October 2020.
In between meals, try snacking on an apple with a handful of almonds, a half cup of cottage cheese with sliced fruit or vegetables, celery sticks with peanut butter, or carrot sticks with hummus. Try planning your meals ahead to make snacking throughout the day easier. Schedule what you will make every Sunday, including snacks and drinks.
Cutting back on these excess calories should help you lose weight more quickly. Be careful with fat-free and sugar-free drink options that contain artificial sweeteners. These additives may lead to weight gain. [12] X Research source If you want to lose the weight quickly, it’s best to just stick to drinking water.
Tell your doctor that you plan to workout 5 to 6 days a week, including both cardio and resistance training.
Start with something low-impact (like walking or swimming), then work your way up to more high-intensity cardio activities (like running or rowing). Allow your body time to adapt to a cardio fitness plan. Workout every other day for the first 1 to 2 weeks, if you were previously inactive. Add extra time and days to your plan until you reach a 6 day fitness goal. Use interval training methods. Work out at a moderate intensity and do bursts of high-intensity or resistance movement. You will burn more fat in the same period of time if you do intervals. Remember that calorie burns through exercise should be coupled with calorie deficits in your diet to see the results you want.
Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. So, strength training will help you get leaner and lose fat even if the scale doesn’t show much weight loss. Continue doing strength training for 2 days a week for the first 2 to 4 weeks. Once your body gets used to the workout, you can increase to 3 days per week. This usually takes about a month.
For your warm up, try dynamic stretches (those that involve performing controlled movements that gradually increase your range-of-motion). Dynamic stretches are best for warming up because they get the blood flowing throughout your body. [16] X Trustworthy Source University of Wisconsin Health Integrated healthcare system of the University of Wisconsin focused on treating and providing support to patients and public health initiatives Go to source Do not do static stretches when your muscles are cold, as this can lead to injury and reduce your performance.
Signing up for classes means that other people will expect to see you there, especially after you’ve been going for a while. This will also help motivate you to keep going to the classes.
As you grow accustomed to certain cardio exercises, consider alternating machines/activities. For example, spend one day on the elliptical machine, then go for a swim the next day. During strength training, make sure that each muscle group has time to recover before your next session. Muscle confusion, or targeting different muscle groups once your body grows accustomed to a specific workout routine, can help increase your weight loss.
Your personal trainer will be able to recommend certain activities that will help you with your weight loss goals, tailored specifically for your body.
Analyzing these milestones will help you maintain the right direction for your weight loss goals and make sure that you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. Set clear goals for yourself – like losing 2. 5 lb (1. 1 kg) per week. Check in with yourself each week to see if you are meeting your goals. If you realize that you have a trouble area, consider focusing your energies on targeting that specific area. [18] X Research source
Try practicing lunges to stretch out your thigh and calf muscles. Sit on the ground with your legs spread apart out in front of you and lean your arms toward one foot to stretch out your arms and back. Hold the stretch for a few moments, then lean back out toward the other foot.
