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Best Way to Lose
Weight Without Going Broke
Best way to lose
weight:
 The
best way to lose weight according to Ann Fletcher, MS RD does not necessarily
mean spending a lot of money and dieting. Her recommended best way to lose
weight includes a variety of reasonable changes in your eating and exercise
habits, changes which can last a lifetime. Her conclusions were based on
interviews with more than 200 people who had successfully lost an average of 64
pounds and kept it off for at least three years. Most of these people were able
to reach their goals without expensive gym memberships, spa vacations or
expensive weight loss surgery. She recommended several lifestyle changes as
ultimately the best way to lose weight.
Best way to lose
weight tips:
Write down what you eat.
Many people
underestimate the amount of food they eat. Some studies have concluded that
people may underestimate the amount of calories taken in by as much as one half.
Many people have found that it is helpful to write it down while they are trying
to lose weight, and many have found that it is actually a good idea to continue
this process from time to time. The whole process of keeping track seems to
significantly help people who can't control their total caloric intake.
Use measuring cups and spoons, a fat and calorie counter
and a digital food scale.
In our "supersized"
society, many people are unaware of what an actual portion really is. Once you
get a handle on what real portion sizes are you can probably put away the scales
and books. It is a good idea to periodically check and make sure that you are
correctly eyeballing proportions and fat counts however.
If you still need help losing weight, look around for a
program that is value-conscious.
Ms. Fletcher stated that about half the people she talked
to lost weight on their own and the other half needed some professional
assistance. There's nothing wrong with the help of a professional program, but
obviously you need to control the cost. Some nonprofit support groups such as
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 800-932-8677,
www.tops.org ) and Overeaters
Anonymous (505-891-2664,
www.oa.org) may cost just a few dollars
a week. Weight Watchers (800-651-6000,
www.weightwatchers.com) is very affordable, with a
small initial cost along with minimal fees for weekly attendance at meetings.
Walk it off.
Several studies
have found that walking seems to be many people's choice of their best way to
lose weight. It doesn't cost anything and you can do it anywhere, indoors and
outdoors.
Community adult
education exercise programs.
Many people have found that their best way to lose
weight includes adult programs at night with physical education classes such as
aerobics, calisthenics, swimming or country line dancing. These classes are
usually fairly inexpensive and add some variety to your weight-loss program.
Get low fat cook books from the library.
One of the best
ways to lose weight over the long-term is to learn how to cook more low-fat
food. If you find a book you like keep it in your own personal library. Since
most of us like to eat about the same 10 dinners over and over again, find 5 to
10 low-fat recipes and copy them from the book on recipe cards.
Your best way to lose weight may include seeing a
registered dietitian.
A registered
dietitian can only not only determine where your eating habits may be coming up
short, but may also be able to devise a personalized plan for you that will help
you control your food intake while getting the proper nutrition you need. It may
cost you a small amount of money but will be well worth it. Also, if you have a
weight related medical illness such as diabetes or high blood pressure, the cost
may be covered by your health insurance.
One of the best ways to lose weight is to spend your snack
money on fruits and vegetables.
Many people have
concluded that spending their snack money on fruits and vegetables was
absolutely their very best way to lose weight.
Information
adapted from Eating Thin for Life: Food Secrets and Recipes from People Who Have
Lost Weight and Kept It Off by Ann M. Fletcher, MS, RD
Additional Information and
webpage
by
Paul Susic
MA
Licensed Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate
(Health and Geriatric Psychologist)
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