Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight the Healthy Way, According to a Weight Loss Expert
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If you starve yourself and exercise around the clock, you can lose weight super fast. However, aside from being unhealthy, rapid weight loss isn't sustainable. The best way to lose weight is the healthiest way, making good dietary and exercise choices. The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, offers five tips on how to lose weight in the healthiest way possible.
1. Eat Regular Meals
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First, forget trendy diets and eat regular meals. "Don't skip meals, even breakfast," says Collingwood. "Eventually your body will tell you it needs the calories you skipped and cravings and inability to control portions can happen easily."
Related: You Don't Need the Gym to Get Flat Abs, Just Avoid These Foods
2. Lift Weights
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When it comes to the best exercises for weight loss, weight training should be a high priority. "When we lose weight we lose a proportion of muscle along with the fat," says Collingwood. "Muscle burns calories on our body and is a major determinant of our metabolism. If you can do some resistance training (body weight, dumbbells, machines, bands, etc) at least twice a week that will help you maintain and maybe even build muscle to help you lose weight and keep it off in the future."
3. Portion Control
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Portion control is also important. "A lot of times it's not the 'what' you are eating but it is the 'how much' you are eating," says Collingwood. "Even 'healthy' foods can be high in calories or add up in calories and cause you to go over your calorie budget."
4. Be Accountable
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Accountability is key, says Collingwood. "Whether it is weighing yourself each day, keeping track of your intake on an app, or checking in with a friend or professional, staying on top of your progress (or lack of) can help you see what is working and what might need to be adjusted along the way," she says.
Related: 3 Proven Workouts for Enhanced Bust Firmness
5. Sleep
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Getting enough sleep is also important for weight loss. "We eat more when we are sleep deprived because of cravings and our body's lack of regulation for the hunger and fullness hormones that are released," says Collingwood. "Make sure you are not just getting the quantity but the quality of sleep you need."
💪🔥Body Booster: While it may be tempting to lose weight fast by seriously restricting food and exercising a lot, you are more likely to keep the way off if you approach weight loss in a healthier and more sustainable manner.