Losing Weight the Healthy Way

Research from the National Institutes of Health suggests that losing 1/2 to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and physical activity is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Losing even 5-10% of your body weight can lower your risk for chronic diseases and improve your health.

To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories. However, it is important that you DO NOT go to the extreme of eating too few calories either. See pages 10-11.

Very low calorie diets may result in some dramatic weight loss in the beginning but this behavior is not sustainable and can have very negative effects on your overall health such as: heart arrhythmia and/or gallstones. Low carbohydrate diets can cause constipation from lack of fiber and put you at higher risk for gout. 

 

Reducing your calorie intake by 15-20 % can help you achieve your weight loss goals in a safe, effective and healthy manner. In order to determine your daily caloric requirements look at pages 10-11 to assess your Daily Caloric Intake needs.

Remember: The key to losing weight and keeping it off is lifestyle change!

For more information about healthy weight loss visit: www.cdc.gov/healthyweight

This information can also be found in your Exercise and Nutrition Habit Tracker (pg. 11)