What is the safest way to lose weight?
Weight loss is a tricky topic. Lots of people are unhappy with their weight, but most aren’t sure how to change it. As a result people end up trying crazy diets (boo), failing, and feeling super frustrated.
For the record I do not recommend dieting. Dieting sucks… like for so many reasons I won’t even go there.
The truth is that being healthy is about being at a weight that is right for you. A doctor or dietician can help you figure out if you are at a good weight and will help you set realistic goals if you do decide that you’re diet and physical activity levels could be improved.
If you and your doctor/dietician decide that there are things you can work on, here are some tips for success:
- Start small. small changes are a lot easier to stick to than major ones. So for example, try giving up soda for a week. Once you have that down, start eating a piece of fruit with breakfast… you get the idea.
- Avoid extreme crazy diets. we all need a variety of foods to stay healthy. Stay away from fad diets, because they can be dangerous to your health and most people can’t stick with them long term.
- Don’t eliminate any foods. Saying “I won’t ever eat x food again or x types of foods,” is extreme. And extreme diets don’t work.
- Stop eating when you’re full. Try to pay attention while you are eating and see if you eat sometimes when you are bored, lonely, or stressed. If these are issues for you, talk to your dietician or a counselor about what you discover.
- Avoid diets that make sweets and fatty foods sound evil. These foods are part of a normal healthy diet. And you should not feel guilty about eating them, just not every day and not to cope with other emotions you are feeling.
- Get moving, even little bits of exercise (like walking to school) or riding your bike to a friend’s house can help strengthen your body and relax your mind. Aim to get moving every day.
Finally, try to keep in mind that losing weight is tough. Our bodies are made to help us survive. They don’t want us to starve and have awesome tricks for helping us maintain our current weight if we do try to starve them. That’s why extreme diets (where we feel hungry all the time) usually fail. Treat your body with kindness and don’t stress. Losing weight and getting fitter should be a slow process, where gradual changes add up.
I hope that helps.
I’m rooting for you!
