Top 5 Success Strategies for Weight-Loss

We live in an ocean of fad diets, weight-loss programmes and outright frauds promise quick and easy weight loss.

However, the foundation pillars on which an effective weight-loss programme stands are a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and a well-planned exercise regimen. One needs to go for permanent lifestyle changes and inculcation of healthy habits for successful weight-loss

Making an Honest Commitment

Permanent weight-loss takes time and some real and hones t effort. You will need to make a commitment which may last for a lifetime. Brace yourself some drastic changes. Weight-loss will require your deep focus. Try addressing other stress-related issues in your life: financial problems, personal conflicts etc. It's understandable that such issues cannot be just wiped out completely but this will improve your focus on your weight loss programme. Once you're ready to launch your weight-loss programme, just start with it. Don't defer it for whimsical reasons.
Finding Inner Motivation

Remember, nobody else will make you shed kilos. You would need to find the motivation from within. Make a list of things which you think are capable of truly motivating you and helping you to stay focused. You should be able to fall back on these motivational factors during moments of temptation. Some such motivating factors can be: i) Your past. Recall how healthy you were a few years ago. Ii) Your girlfriend iii) Your ill-health which is a result of you being overweight. While inner motivation is most important, support of friends and family also counts a lot. Handpick such people without any sense of shame or guilt.
Setting Realistic Goals

This is kind of obvious, isn't it? But still most people struggle to ascertain realistic goals when it comes to weight-loss. Over the long term, it's best to aim for losing 0.5 to 1 kilogram a week. In order to achieve this goal, you will need to burn 500 to 1000 calories more than you consume each day. This is where a low-calorie diet and exercise come handy. Do not delude yourself by setting overzealous goals because when you are unable to achieve them, the disappointment can be a really bad. Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, meaningful and time-limited. An example of a SMART goal is aiming to walk for half an hour a day, five days a week for the next three months, and keeping a log of your results.
Consuming Healthier Foods

Lowering of total calorie intake is a key step in the entire process of weight-loss. This does not necessarily mean that you have to give up on taste or even ease of meal preparation. An useful way of lowering calorie-intake is to eat more and more plant-based foods - fruits, vegetables and fruit grains. Shuffle between a number of such food items so that you are not deprived of taste and of course nutrition. Kickstart the weight-loss programme by eating a healthy breakfast every day; helping yourself with at least three servings of vegetables and fruits each on a daily basis; using healthy cooking oils. Apart from this, cut down on sugars, go for low-fat dairy products and consume minimum non-vegetarian food.
Staying Active

As mentioned previously, the key to weight-loss lies in burning more calories than you consume. 3,500 calories make up 1 pound which is equal to 0.5 kg (approx.) of fat. This means that you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you total intake of calories if you aim to lose 0.5 kg of fat in a given period of time. Combining exercise with a low-calorie diet gives you the edge. Do not underestimate the importance of a good workout routine. Hit the gym under proper supervision. Go for walks. Use stairs instead of lifts. Stay active during the day as much as you can. Not only does this aids in weight-loss, other health benefits also come along.

These habits should become a way of life. Initial setbacks may occur. Do not get deterred by them. Remember, you are trying to bring a drastic change in your life. It won't happen all at once. Just stick to your healthy lifestyle and don't give up. (Health, MensXP.com)

Source - Yahoo