The best way to control weight is through diet and exercise. Many health professionals recommend eating 5 or more smaller meals a day, drinking lots of water and staying away from processed foods.
Foods that help prevent disease, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fatty fish, also seem to promote healthy weight. Limiting fried foods and cooking with polyunsaturated oils may help reduce fat intake.
Healthy eating
Eating a balanced diet can help you feel your best and lower your risk of certain diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. However, it can be difficult to sort through all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice.
The good news is that many of the same diet changes that decrease disease risk also seem to improve weight control. Choose whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish, while limiting unhealthy fats and sugary drinks.
Healthy eating is important at every life stage and can be customized to fit your tastes, cultural traditions, and budget. Learn more about healthy eating and how to make it work for you. The key is to focus on the overall dietary pattern, not specific foods or nutrients. To improve your diet, start by making small changes and stick with it over time. This will help you create a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. You can also consult a registered dietitian for personalized nutrition guidance.
Physical activity
Increasing regular physical activity is important for weight control, as it helps to balance the calories eaten with the calories used through physical activity. Getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days is recommended. This can include both structured exercise and daily activities, such as walking, swimming, or household chores. Several hormones that are released during physical activity help regulate appetite and satiety. In addition, physical activity can improve mood and promote feelings of well-being. (Refer to the handbook Weight Control and Physical Activity for a detailed discussion of these topics.) (c) 2011 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Stress management
Stress is a common factor in weight gain and can interfere with your efforts to lose weight. If you are struggling with stress, check in with your doctor. They may prescribe medications to help alleviate the short-term effects of stress or recommend some other techniques for reducing your long-term stress levels.
Stress has been shown to cause a behavioral shift towards high-fat, -salt and -sugar foods as a way of trying to cope with the feeling. It also encourages the body to store fat more in the abdominal region as a survival mechanism (Daubenmier et al. 2011).
There are many ways to reduce your stress, including physical exercise, meditation and relaxation techniques. Incorporating these into your daily routine can help lower cortisol levels, which will help you maintain a healthy weight. It is also important to delegate responsibilities to others, and get enough sleep each night. This will give you the energy to deal with stressful situations and emotions.
Sleep
Studies have shown that people who get less sleep are at a higher risk of obesity, and that shifting to more healthy sleeping patterns can help manage weight. One study found that people who got more than 8.5 hours of sleep per night lost significantly more fat mass during a 12-week weight loss program than those who got only 5.5 hours of sleep per day. The researchers attribute this to the fact that sleep deprivation alters appetite-regulating hormones, with people getting less sleep exhibiting lower levels of leptin, which promotes satiety, and higher levels of ghrelin, which promotes hunger. This shift in hormones can result in a greater exploitation of energy resources (i.e., increased caloric intake).