Weight loss can be a stressful topic for anyone, but it doesn’t have to be complicated, risky, or uncomfortable.

With fad diets and uncertain advice, it can be hard to know what’s effective, what’s right for you, and what’s just plain unsafe. But there are tried-and-true ways to enjoy healthy weight loss.

Whether you’re working on getting in shape, or you’re trying to combat or prevent a health problem, there are safe ways to reach your goals. Check out our do’s and don’ts for losing weight the right way!

Do: Eat consistent, healthy meals.

Ever notice how all you want to do is take a nap after eating a huge, greasy meal? Large portions, especially of less-than-healthy food, can exhaust you and leave you feeling sluggish. Eating several small meals a day will allow you to keep your metabolism going for extra caloric burn.

Four to six portion-controlled meals can help you maintain your blood sugar and keep you from getting seriously hungry during the day, which can easily lead to overeating.  

Don’t: Skip meals.

You might think that skipping breakfast or lunch is a great way to cut calories, but this actually does more harm than good. Starving yourself is unhealthy and simply doesn’t help you lose weight or keep it off.

Just like your parents always said, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Skipping that quick morning bite deprives your body of the chance to kick start its metabolism, which can result in a desire to eat bigger (or unhealthy) meals later.

Do: Stay hydrated.

Drinking water has a variety of benefits, and weight loss is definitely one of them. It can fill you up so you’re less hungry, and studies have even suggested that getting plenty of water can help you burn calories faster.

Most of the time, four to six cups of water per day is a great goal for healthy people, but more is needed during exercise or hot weather.

Don’t: Forget about the calories you drink.

Soda, juice, and other beverages are full of sugar and can include lots of calories with little to no nutritional value. Water is usually your best option for staying hydrated and energetic in the long run.

If you want something with a little more excitement than water, try drinks like flavored sparkling water. They offer hydration (and a little variety!) without any added sugars.

Do: Meal prep.

When you’re trying to scrape dinner together, or you don’t have a lunch prepared, you’re more likely to choose a quick, easy, and unhealthy option that slows your weight loss progress.

If you have a plan, it’s easier to resist the temptation of less-healthy alternatives. Go into the week knowing what you’ll eat for each meal so you can be sure to have clean food ready to go when you’re hungry. Once you’ve made this a habit, you’ll see your overall diet improve—and you’ll feel so much better!

Don’t: Look for short-term, quick fixes.

Fad diets and weight-loss supplements can offer appealing results. Major, rapid weight loss may sound nice, but it can be unhealthy and ineffective long-term.

Losing a maximum of 1-2 pounds per week is healthier, safer, and longer-lasting than those quick fixes. With proper diet and exercise, this should be the natural way your body changes. If you’re not sure how to best improve your long-term eating habits, your local community center may have wellness coaches or a learning kitchen to assist you.

Do: Make swaps for healthy food.

Switching fatty foods for lower-calorie options can be a great way to improve your overall wellness and contribute to your healthy weight loss.

Small things that you use often are great to swap out. Replacing butter with a butter substitute, replacing mayonnaise with mustard, or using one piece of bread instead of two to create open-faced sandwiches can make a big difference over time.

Don’t: Deprive yourself of treats.

Cutting yourself off from less-healthy foods you love can actually keep you from reaching your weight loss goals. While you should limit your intake of sugary or fatty foods, restricting them completely can inspire cravings, binging, and overeating.

As always, moderation is key. But if you struggle at first to find a balance, don’t stress! One hiccup won’t ruin your entire weight loss journey.

Do: Stick to a healthy exercise routine.

While eating well and staying hydrated are important for weight loss, exercise is a big piece of the puzzle, too. You don’t have to jump into hardcore workouts right away, though—start small and find activities you love!

Experts recommend that healthy adults get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week. This can include group fitness classes, swimming, and running on the track in an open gym. Also, strength training twice a week for all muscle groups is advised for a healthy body and effective weight loss.

Don’t: Give up.

While sticking to a healthy routine of healthy eating, exercise, and proper hydration can be tough, it’s far from impossible. The beginning of your weight-loss journey may be challenging, so don’t be too hard on yourself if (and when) you slip up.

No one is perfect at meal planning, swapping for healthier options, or getting to the gym on time right away. Stay persistent, make a plan, and get help from group fitness classes or wellness coaches when you need it. These can help you find a community that encourages you to adopt new habits in a healthy way.

Losing weight the right way will help you feel your best!  As you start or continue your weight-loss journey, consider these do’s and don’ts to help you make safe, healthy choices so you can work toward your goals and live a life you love.

With two locations in Lafayette, Indiana, the Lafayette Family YMCA is a community committed to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.

The post Do’s and Don’ts for Healthy Weight Loss appeared first on YMCA.

Check out a few reminders why getting in “perfect” shape for spring break isn’t everything, and learn how you can form positive habits!

1. Obsessing over diet and exercise isn’t healthy.

With hundreds of articles about finding your “spring break body,” it’s easy to focus too much on diet and exercise. While working out and eating well is good for you, thinking about nothing else can cause body image issues and actually make you feel worse about your physical appearance. Obsessions with diet and exercise can also lead to eating disorders and an unhealthy addiction to working out. These can result in problems with every part of your body, including cardiovascular conditions, overtraining syndrome, difficulty with digestion, and more.

To avoid these issues, try focusing on how you feel more than how you look. If you feel healthy and confident, chances are you’ll look pretty good, too! And, if you think you’re becoming obsessed with diet and/or exercise and it’s affecting your daily life, try working with a wellness coach. He or she can help you regain balance and view your body, nutrition, and workouts from a healthy perspective.

2. Major weight fluctuations are dangerous.

Losing (or gaining) too much weight can be unhealthy. For example, rapid weight loss can cause gallstones, liver damage, and reduced metabolism. On the other hand, weight gain from binge eating can cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and mood problems.

Unhealthy weight loss can be especially risky with spring break diets. While some health programs allow for rapid loss of six to 10 pounds in the first few weeks, more drastic drops in weight over time can cause the problems mentioned above. But, fitness plans focused on slower weight loss through healthy eating and exercise can yield positive results.

Losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is considered healthy, and this rate is proven to help people keep weight off. If you’re setting personal fitness goals, these numbers are the safest options to try to achieve.

3. Personal goals > “Perfection.”

The SMART approach to goal-setting can help you set achievable fitness objectives, rather than working toward a “perfect” body with little direction. Whether you set them yourself or work with a personal trainer or wellness coach, SMART goals can help you create a healthy, doable fitness plan.

SMART goals are:

• Specific: “I want to jog for 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week.” vs “I want to exercise regularly.”
• Measurable: “I want to lose 1 pound per week until I reach 150 pounds.” vs “I want to lose weight.”
• Achievable: “I want to run a mile every day.” vs “I want to run a marathon every day.”
• Realistic: “I want to train for a race I’m running this summer.” vs “I want to train for a race I’m running in three years.”
• Timely: “I want to spend 5 hours at the gym per week by the end of the month.” vs “I want to spend time at the gym.”

Reaching the safe, unique goals you’ve set for yourself will always be more rewarding than pursuing an idea of “perfection.” Your perfect body is the one that makes you feel happy and healthy!

4. Well-being is about more than a “beach body.”

Working out can improve your health and how you feel, but with the wrong mindset, exercise could harm your well-being. So, what is well-being? A variety of elements play a role, but research suggests these four are especially important:

• Awareness: Living fully focused in the moment
• Connection: Nurturing relationships with others
• Insight: Understanding how thoughts and feelings shape our lives
• Purpose: Realizing what brings you joy and gives life meaning

While exercise can help you form connections, develop a sense of purpose, and stay focused on the tasks at hand—trying to achieve a “beach body” isn’t a healthy way to think about fitness. But, when you focus on overall well-being, you’ll be more present, improve your relationships, let positive thoughts and feelings flow, and increase the time you spend pursuing your purpose in a healthy way.

Even though it seems like tips to achieve a perfect spring break body are everywhere, they’re not always safe or positive. And, you are so much more than your physical appearance! When you feel pressured to look a certain way for vacation, remember that the best body is the healthy and happy one you have!

With two locations in Lafayette, Indiana, the Lafayette Family YMCA is a community committed to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.

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