When magazines and bookshelves are brimming with weight loss plans, it’s hard to know which to choose and which will be most effective. Weight loss experts say there’s no single miracle approach. However, the most effective and healthful methods for losing weight have several factors in common. So when you select a plan for trimming down, discuss it with your doctor and make sure it includes these elements:
- Get lots of physical activity. Daily duties such as gardening, housecleaning and lawn care count. And so do fun pursuits like roller blading, bicycling, swimming, and walking in the park.
- Trim fat out of your diet. Cut back on consumption of fatty foods, including red meat, dairy products such as cheese and butter, and snack foods. Switch to skim milk.
- Monitor yourself regularly. Industrial efficiency experts have a saying, “That which gets measured gets done.” To keep your weight-loss efforts focused, step onto a scale regularly and record your weight. Carry a notebook and pen to keep a diary of your food consumption (day, time, and quantity eaten). Buy a step-counting pedometer at a sporting goods store. It’s like having your own little cheering section, and you’ll find yourself walking extra to log more steps.¹
- Start every day with breakfast. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious breakfast will help your control cravings throughout the day, according to weight-loss experts. Make sure you’re getting vitamins, minerals, whole grains, and a protein source (say, an egg or a slice of Canadian bacon).²
What’s the Tape Measure Telling You?
Your bathroom scale is not the only way to monitor your weigh-loss efforts. Doctors say tracking your body size with a tape measure is a good idea, too. That’s because apple- or pear-shaped people who carry extra weight around the abdomen are at higher risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.
To determine your waist-to-hip ratio, get a flexible tape measure and a calculator. Then measure your body’s circumference in two places—the narrowest part of your waist, and around your hips. Now divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Researchers say women with a waist-to-hip ratio of .85 and men with a score of 9.0 have a high risk of heart disease, and the higher the number is, the more serious the risk is.³
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