what is a good healthy, safe way to lose weight and keep it off?

Answer 1

Congrats on not just wanting a quick fix, but wanting to be healthy! I lost 70 pounds this way - I cut out all white flour and sugar, drank lots of water, walked 30 minutes a day. I also lifted weights 20 min. 2 times a week.

When you are craving something sugary, make yourself eat something protein instead, like a boiled egg, or nuts or a piece of cheese. The cravings will subside in a week or so. Be sure to eat a lot of veggies and berries. (Bananas and oranges not a good idea in the beginning.)

The first week will be the hardest - but you have to marry it; be committed no matter how hard you want to quit. Good luck - you can do it! Email if you have questions!

Answer 2

Drink plenty of water; about 8 glasses a day is the recommended amount, but wait 30 minutes after a meal before drinking more, to allow the body's natural fluids to digest the food.
Eat a healthy balance of food, including fresh fruit, vegetables, oil-rich fish, nuts etc, and get regular exercise. Just carry on enjoying living and it'll drop off.

There's no quick fix or any other way around it; it takes time and it takes patience. And remember that gradual weight-loss leads to better, permanent results.

Weigh yourself at least once a week to measure your progress.
Do activities such as swimming too, as that's a great way to get in and stay in shape. Good luck!

Answer 3

The South Beach Diet works very well. I've been on it for a little over a month and have already lost about 10lbs; however, that is not the best part. It has gotten rid of my cravings and I for the first time, I feel like I am in controll of my eating. It's more than just a diet for me. It's a lifestyle change. In the end, changing your lifestyle is the only way to lose weight and keep it off. Good luck!

This website is a great resource for South Beach Diet information:
http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/

There message board is very useful as well.
http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/forum/index.php

Answer 4

First and foremost, it needs to be a LIFESTYLE change, for good, not a diet..and the key to that is to start in moderation. Take an inventory of all the things you do wrong with your eating and/or exercise regimine, and resolve to change only one at a time, and SLOWLY, until it is an integral part of your lifestyle, and something you do naturally, not just a "diet". For instance, mine was resolving to drink at least one bottle of water a day for starters, then two, then three, until I got up to the point where water was simply part of my lifestyle. Then move on to something else. For instance: food choices. Resolve to not eat more than 2 desserts a week, or whatever., and then work from there.
It's not a magical diet and it does take time, perhaps years, but the key is, you keep it off.
Good luck!

Answer 5

The following healthy living recommendations will help you if you’re trying to lose weight, tone up your muscles, have aspirations of building lean muscle mass, are attempting to get a wash board stomach, or just want to feel better:

*1) Burn more calories then you're consuming everyday and measure your results using the following formula: Calories Consumed minus Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) minus Physical Activity. Get a fitness calculator that you can put on your cell phone and computer. This will allow you to easily calculate this formula, log your daily calorie consumption, and register your physical activities.

*2) Eat natural and organic foods found on earth versus something created by a corporation to make money. Eat meals in small portions throughout the day and take a good multi-vitamin supplement.

Avoid “High Glycemic Load Carbs” (sugar, pastries, desserts, refined starches such as breads, pasta, refined grains like white rice; high starch vegetables such as white potatoes) and drink lots of water.

Do not try fad diets or diet pills. Here is an excellent food pyramid that anyone can follow: http://www.rayandterry.com/html/images/PyramidLRG.gif?osCsid=26a424be471d1337e7c2f105d5c64d9d

*3) Exercise on most days by doing cardiovascular training and/or resistance training activities.

Read a book or find a certified trainer to make sure your doing all resistance training exercises correctly. A great book to buy that teaches you the resistance training basics is “Weight Training for Dummies”. A superb magazine to buy with excellent resistance training routines that will not get you bored is "Muscle and Fitness". Signup for the free newsletter.

A good book to buy that teaches you the cardiovascular training basics is “Fitness for Dummies”.

*4) Get plenty of sleep. Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health, and safety.

*5) Educate yourself continually on health issues and make a life long commitment to good health. A great free publication is “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005”. A superb book to read is “You The Owner’s Manual”. An excellent periodic publication is the “Nutrition Action Health Letter”. A reputable test you can take to measure your biological age is at http://realage.com

Look at all areas where you can enhance your health. For example, make improvements in the quality of the air you breathe. Review outdoor air quality forecasts where you live and get an indoor air purifier. Email me if you want a good indoor air purifier recommendation and if you have other questions.

*Click on all the source links below to get the full benefit of the recommendations. The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Answer 6

Here is what you need to do, if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off. Eat 6 small meals a day about every 4 hours. Here what that will do for you, your metabolism will increase (i.e. Loose weight) and you will have more engry. If you go on a diet and eat less, your metabolism will slow down and store to fat. That is why diets dont work. Only the size of your fist, carbs (examples:baked potato, pasta, oatmeal, beans, corn, melon, apples, fat free yogurt, whole wheat breads)in one and protien (examples:chicken breast, swordfish, shrimp, turkey breast) in the other. You can also eat vegetables and salads with any meal, they dont have none or little fat). 30min cardo exercise every day. Any of these(examples: walking, jogging, swimming,running, biking, ect), Monday cardo, tues upper body (arms: curls, tricep extensions,pull ups, front press)(abdominals: leg pull crunch, leg raises), (chest: bench press, butterfly, pullover)(shoulders: front press, arm pullover, cross county skier machine)(back:seated row, lat pull downs, back extension)(YOU DONT HAVE TO DO IN ONE DAY, mix it up) wed cardo, thurs lower body (legs: leg pull,leg press, squats, lounges) fri cardo, sat upper. Sunday eat anything you want and dont exercising, you do this on sunday so your body doesnt go into starvation mode. YOU NEED TO TAKE SUNDAY OFF. If you stilck with this you will have a great body. also drink aleast 8oz of water daily! Stay away from Mcdonals, Wendys, ect because there is nothing good for you on the menu's even the salads are bad (beaon bits, cheeze, dressing, ect) Good Luck :)

Answer 7

Avoid the "D" & "E" words...get more physical activity daily, shoot for a total of 30-60 minutes throughout the day-it does NOT have to be all at one time. Make smarter food choices, read the labels etc. If you really want to drop pounds quickly, take a look at your diet and try to get rid of about 500 calories per day. 500 calories is roughly two cans of regular soda or a full bottle of snapple! As an FYI, 500 calories per day = 3500 calories per week = 1 lb of body fat lost!

Answer 8

Eat less, exercise more. Drop the sugary foods (and you'd be AMAZED how many foods have sugar!) out of your life as much as you can, and bring in healthy foods like whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies.

Don't totally deprive yourself, though - an occasional treat is fine, and keeps you from going nuts and bingeing. Just keep it to once a week or so, and you'll be okay.

Answer 9

Apart from being more active,you really have to change your eating habits. Dieting is not and never will be good for you. Make small changes in your diet like stopping taking sugar, grilling food instead of frying it, using low fat spreads in place of butter, switching to skimmed or semi skimmed milk etc. Try using a smaller plate and taking more time eating your food. Stop eating when you are full and never eat unless you are hungry. Drinking lots of water helps.Also don't deny yourself anything as you will only develop a craving for it. Instead take a smaller portion ( one biscuit instead of two) and apply the never eat unless you are hungry rule. Do Not comfort eat.

Answer 10

Watch your caloric intake and exercise regularly. Stay away from high carb foods (especially 'empty carbs' such as white bread and high sugar foods). Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and watch what you are drinking too (fruit juices can have high sugar and carb contents). For me the real key has been to exercise at least 4 times a week, for at least 30 minutes at a time.