A diet and exercise plan for weight loss: tips and advice to choose the right one for you
Any doctor will tell you that it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle. It’s especially important to heed this advice if you’re not currently exercising and need to lose some weight. This can actually add years to your life as well as give you a better quality of life. However, choosing a diet and exercise plan for weight loss can often be overwhelming and confusing. Because of this, many tend to give up before they really get started. Here are some tips and suggestions to make deciding which diet and exercise plan is right for you a little easier.
The first suggestion is to take a moment and assess your lifestyle. A diet and exercise plan will require a level of commitment, some more than others. Honestly assess how much time you can spend cooking, grocery shopping, exercising. An example of this is that certain plans will sometimes have you attend meetings. If you work 60 hours a week and volunteer at your child’s church and school, you may not have time to attend a weekly meeting. This is setting yourself up for failure. Another example is if an exercise regimen wants you to get up at 5 am to work out. You usually don’t get home from work until 8 pm and don’t go to bed until 1 am most nights. Chances are you won’t get up at 5 am for the treadmill. Once again, setting yourself up for failure.
Another important tip is to choose a diet and exercise plan that is diversified. Believe it or not, doing this doesn’t have to be boring or feel like a prison sentence. Don’t get it wrong though, some plans can be pretty boring. These plans are the plans that people often abandon before seeing real results. You’ll want to look for one that allows you to eat a variety of different healthy foods, allows you to socialize with your family and friends, and allows you to do the healthy activities you really enjoy doing. Believe it or not, they are out there. These are the programs that will help you succeed while you enjoy changing your lifestyle. A definitive prescription for success.
It is also extremely important not to try to accomplish too much too fast. There are diet and exercise plans that boast that you will lose 20 pounds in your first week. This is unrealistic and unhealthy. Those who decide to follow a program like this will give up soon after starting because they are not seeing the same “amazing” results. One to three pounds per week is considered safe and healthy weight loss that, most importantly, will be maintained permanently. When it comes to exercise, remember that if you’ve never exercised before, start slowly. You’ll build stamina and be able to accomplish more as you go. If you try to accomplish too much, you will lose motivation and may end up hurting yourself.
One last suggestion is to find support on your journey. Make a friend at the gym, attend weight loss meetings, tell everyone at work what you hope to achieve. Not only will this keep you accountable, but it will also keep you excited and motivated. You can also ask those family members, friends, and co-workers about their experiences with a specific diet and exercise plan. Having your personal opinion can help you decide if the program you’d like to choose will work for you.
As stated before, a diet and exercise plan for weight loss is a serious commitment. Don’t jump into it randomly. Take into account the advice and tips here, as well as the comments of those close to you. If you do that, there’s no reason why you won’t be successful in your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.