5 Ways to Stay Healthy While Losing Weight
As you embark on your journey to lose weight, it’s easy to
lose sight of the big picture. Yes, getting healthy and losing weight are goals you should focus on, but there are
other things to consider as well, like how keeping healthy can help you improve
and maintain your weight loss over time. These five tips will give you all the
information you need to stay healthy while losing weight
and keep up your progress.
1) Track your calorie intake
Research has shown that over weight and
obese people who used calorie-counting apps lost more weight than those who did not. At least a couple of
studies show that being mindful of calories—whether
or not you count them—is linked with eating less overall. If you're trying to lose weight, write down what you eat every day and track
your activity level throughout the week. (Hint: Make a spreadsheet on Google
Drive!) It's easy to get side-tracked from your goals if you don't know exactly
where you stand at any given moment, so physical fitness tracker Fitbit's
mobile app makes it easy for users to track their activity level as well as
their diet throughout the day.
2) Exercise on a regular basis
Regular exercise can do wonders for your body, but it’s not
something that should be added on as an afterthought while you’re trying to
lose weight. If you want to lose weight in a healthy way and prevent yourself from
gaining it back later, you should plan to exercise every day as part of your weight-loss strategy.
It might seem like an odd suggestion at first
because many people tend to think of diet
and exercise as two separate things that they do in isolation. But research has
shown time and again that regular exercise paired with a reduced-calorie diet is one of the most effective ways—if
not the most effective way—to lose weight and
keep it off for good.
3) Supplement with multivitamins
If you're dieting and trying to lose weight, it can be hard to get all of your nutrition needs from food alone. Multivitamins
provide essential nutrients in an easy-to-consume form and can prevent nutrient
deficiencies that may arise when you diet. This is especially important for
women, who are more likely than men to have nutritional deficiencies. Your
doctor can help you determine whether a multivitamin is right for you. If so,
consider talking with your doctor about specific brands that include vitamins
and minerals, like calcium and vitamin D3, which have been linked with weight loss in
women . For example, The Obesity Society advises taking 1,000 IU of vitamin D
daily when trying to lose weight—and most
multivitamins contain less than that amount per serving.
4) Count carbohydrates when trying to lose weight
The Mayo Clinic suggests that adults consume 45-65 percent
of their daily calories from carbohydrates.
However, if you're active and trying to lose weight,
go with a lower number of carbohydrates in your diet. Many active people do well consuming 35-40 percent of their
daily calories from carbs. This is also a
good number for most normal-weight adults who
are trying to maintain their current weight as
they don't need many extra carbs.
5) Buy only foods
that are low in carbohydrates
Your body’s preferred source
of energy is carbohydrates, but when you eat too many carbs—especially refined ones like sugary
cereals and white bread—your body turns them
into fat. Instead, choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats. Your body can break down and use complex carbs more
efficiently than simple carbs found in processed foods. (Remember: Simple doesn’t always mean
bad, but it does often mean calorie-dense.)
Also make sure your health care provider checks your cholesterol at least once
a year; high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol will increase your risk for heart
disease. Keeping your total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL is ideal for
heart health and weight loss.
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