How To Lose Weight

So you've decided to lose weight. But how do you do it? There are many ways to lose weight, but the best method is to choose an eating plan that is healthy and balanced and that you can stick with in the long run.

As difficult as losing weight may seem, the real challenge is keeping the weight off. To be successful, you'll need to replace poor eating habits with healthy ones that are realistic and flexible enough to be followed for life.

Some diet programs promise weight reductions of more than two or three pounds a week, but such claims are not completely honest. Ten or more pounds in the first few weeks is possible, but that quick weight loss won't last.

Initially, weight reduction comes mostly from the loss of water and the breakdown of muscle protein, not fat. When you eventually replace these vital substances -- as will happen when you resume normal eating habits -- you are likely to regain the weight. Diets that promote transient weight losses can do psychological harm. Few things are more discouraging than watching a 10- or 20-pound weight loss evaporate into a 2- or 3-pound loss.

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The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) was established to document effective behaviors shared by those who successfully lose weight and keep it off. The NWCR found that those who successfully lost weight dropped an average of 66 pounds over 5.5 years. To achieve this, individuals not only adhered to a low-calorie, low-fat diet that included breakfast and closely monitored their weight and food intake, but they also engaged in high levels of physical activity.

Source http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/weight-loss/how-to-lose-weight.htm