6 Ways to Lose Weight While Staying Healthy

Many studies have determined that people in America are overweight or obese. According to research compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 42 percent of adults over the age of 20 in the United States are obese. If you include those who are just overweight, the number skyrockets to over 73.6 percent of the same population. The problem with weight isn’t confined to adults. Among children, 20.3 percent of kids between 6 and 11 years old are obese.

Obesity comes with a ton of health problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but reckless dieting and rampant weight loss gimmicks can have a negative impact on your mental health and physical well-being. It could even lead to eating disorders, as many experts in recovery centers for anorexia or bulimia across the country can attest.

1. Avoid Unsupervised Dieting

Don’t start dieting without expert advice. You may be tempted to just reduce all food intake or adopt the latest diet fad but doing so can be disastrous. For example, rapid weight loss due to dieting can lead to gallstone development, muscle loss and even menstrual irregularities in women. Your body has a unique metabolism and needs, and going on a diet without any input from a medical or nutrition expert can be dangerous. Consult with an expert and determine what kind of food your body cannot live without before even thinking about changing your menu.

2. Reduce Sugar Consumption

Sugar has infiltrated almost every food item in an average American supermarket. According to research, you probably eat approximately 17 teaspoons worth of sugar every day. This converts to almost 300 calories. You may not even be aware that you’re eating this much sugar as it could be an ingredient in so may foodstuffs such as ketchup or snacks. The best way to reduce your sugar consumption is to stop actively adding it to your meals. Skip putting sugar in your coffee or tea, find sugar-free alternatives to your snacks and other measures can greatly decrease your sugar intake.

3. Switch to Healthy Alternatives

If you want to eat but reduce your weight, find healthy alternatives to your regular menu. If you eat a lot of rice, instead of sticking to white, switch to parboiled brown rice. Another way to replace your food with healthy options is by changing your snacks. Rather than stocking your pantry with potato chips and sweets, why not fill up the larder with kale chips and fresh fruit. Such substitutions won’t just have reduced calories, but they’ll also have more vitamins and nutrients.

4. Watch Your Liquids

Another way calories can sneak unto your body without you knowing it is through the liquid you drink. Ask yourself how much sugary drinks like soda and juices do you guzzle down every day. These drinks are packed with sugar that your body doesn’t need and could just end up clogging your system. Instead of drinking sodas and similar beverages, why not try 100 percent fruit juices instead? These drinks have more vitamins and fewer calories. You should try drinking more water instead. If you want to spruce up your beverage, slice some lemons in it to give it a zesty flavor.

5. Smaller Plates

Sometimes the solution to eating less is by rigging the system. If you tend to overeat during dinner or other meals, you should eat smaller servings. But having a larger plate can make it easy for you to load it up with more food than you need to eat. Get a smaller plate or a smaller bowl if you want to eat less food. The smaller dinnerware will make it easy to reduce your servings and help you reduce your weight. This way, you can reduce servings while eating everything you want from the table.

6. Brush Teeth Early

How often do you rise from bed in the middle of the night and open the refrigerator or pantry for a small snack? How often does that small snack turn into a large meal? If you want to curb your late-night eating habits, you can make it less appealing. Brush your teeth early in the night, maybe an hour or two after dinner. The minty flavor of toothpaste can make food less tasty and the psychological message that you shouldn’t eat after brushing your teeth can help reduce the urge for a midnight snack.

Being overweight has it challenges, but reckless dieting and rapid weight loss has its own dangers. The advice listed can go a long way in helping you reduce your weight without compromising your well-being.