4 Simple Tips for Weight Loss

The statistics for overweight and obese children and adults are alarming. As such, many people desire to lose weight through diet, exercise, or weight loss surgery, such as Lap Band Surgery in Albany, GA. There’s a huge amount of exercise and diet content available practically everywhere you look — online, on television, and in books and magazines — that it can get confusing as to what works and what doesn’t.

We’ve sorted through this myriad of information to make it simpler for you with these four tips.

1. Eat more fiber. Fibrous foods make you feel full more quickly, and keep you feeling fuller longer. Foods that are high in fiber also take you longer to chew, which is another good thing. Fruits and vegetables — particularly the skins — are loaded with fiber, as are whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice. Aim to consume about 28 grams of fiber daily, but work your way up to that level over several days or weeks to prevent digestive discomfort.
2. Eat more frequently and reduce portion size. Eating smaller meals more often can prevent you from being fatigued, make you feel less tired, and stabilize your blood glucose (sugar) levels. Low blood sugar can make you feel hungrier leading to binge eating or eating the wrong foods. Eating smaller meals more often can help to keep your metabolism revved up. Eating little and often is a helpful practice for an upcoming weight loss surgery, where your stomach won’t be able to hold as much as it used to.
3. Burn calories. It’s important to keep active to expend calories. To lose weight, you’ll need to burn more calories than you consume. Being active doesn’t necessarily mean running a marathon. Doing things you enjoy such as walking your dog will get you moving. Even chores like mowing the lawn count!
4. Be aware of hidden calories. Certain foods and beverages contain more sugar and fat that you may think (i.e. hidden calories). Did you know that a typical soft drink contains up to 40 grams of sugar, which is about 160 calories? Some breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar too — even ones that appear healthy.