"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Little tricks to make it easier to shed kilos and keep them off.

Losing weight might be difficult, but there are some strategies for fulfillment.

Photo: © Wand_Prapan/Getty Images

If you're struggling to reduce weight, you almost certainly feel like the percentages are stacked against you. You aren’t necessarily mistaken.

So, while shedding pounds is straightforward in theory—cut your calorie intake—it's hard in practice. “If you put people in a closed metabolic ward and feed them only 60 percent of their normal calories, they'll lose weight. But it's really hard for people living independently.” Dr. Stampfer says.

This is very true for postmenopausal women. “When people get older, it becomes harder to get rid of energy from food. They need to change their eating habits — to follow healthier patterns,” says Dr. Qi. . “Any habits, including eating habits, are hard to change.”

Today, people consider food as rather more than mere sustenance. Food is a source of satisfaction. It is a social activity; This is a reward. This is why many diets work within the short term but fail later. “Many foods are a radical change from what people normally eat, and that's not sustainable,” says Dr. Stampfer.

But don't throw up your hands and resign yourself to keeping those extra kilos. There are strategies that may make it easier to lose extra weight. Below are some easy suggestions you need to use to tip the dimensions in the precise direction — and keep it there.

Don't abstain; Improve your eating regimen. Don't focus your eating regimen solely on weight reduction. Focus on overall health. Follow a eating regimen that features fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. “Even today, after all the data we have, people still think that eating fat makes them fat, and they try to find low-fat products,” says Dr. Stampfer. “It's been pretty much disproved. Eating fat doesn't make you fat. There's good research that shows maintaining a healthy diet fats helps people manage their weight.

Overall, selecting a sustainable eating regimen that focuses on health and not only weight can make it easier to make lasting improvements. “Eat a healthy diet, and eat less,” says Dr. Stampfer.

regular exercise. It's been said one million times, but it might probably't be emphasized enough: increasing your activity level can make it easier to reduce weight and keep it off. “For most people, long-term weight control without physical activity is difficult,” says Dr. Stampfer.

Your metabolism slows with age, which implies you burn fewer calories to maintain up basic bodily functions. At the identical time, the mass of bones and muscles decreases and the quantity of fat increases. This insidious pattern occurs naturally as you age unless you’re taking steps to forestall it.

“I'm a strong advocate of not only aerobic activity, but also weight training and calisthenics,” says Dr. Stampfer. “Building muscle can not only increase your body's metabolic rate, but can also bring its own unique health benefits that are often not as well-appreciated as those associated with aerobic activity.”

Try different strategies. Different diets work for various people. Sometimes it takes trial and error to seek out the precise strategy. One approach that holds promise for many individuals is mindful eating – taking the time to stop and really give attention to and revel in your food. “My eye has very little scientific evidence, but I like the concept,” says Dr. Stampfer. “We've all had the experience of eating a bowl of something and not even remembering eating it.”

Another easy trick is to place your fork down between bites as a substitute of holding it in your hands. Pick it up once you're going to chop the subsequent one.

Be persistent. Losing weight is basically hard, and plenty of people fail persistently before they succeed. Don't quit. Each day, commit to eating somewhat less, says Dr. Stampfer. If you get off target, do it again the subsequent day and proceed over time.