Keeping your weight under control requires making healthy choices about food and lifestyle. It also involves learning how to manage emotions that lead to overeating or unhealthy eating behaviors.
Despite the importance of these factors, some individuals have difficulty controlling their weight. This may be because of inaccurate self-perceptions of their body weight status.
Exercise
Getting regular exercise is an important part of controlling weight. It helps you feel better, improves your mood and increases energy levels. It can also reduce your risk of developing diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
You should aim to do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or an equivalent combination of both. You should also do strength or resistance training for each major muscle group on at least two non-consecutive days a week.
You should also ensure that you have a proper warm-up and cool-down for each workout session. A good warm-up will help the body adjust to the increased intensity of the exercise and will increase blood flow to the muscles.
Eat a Healthy Diet
If you want to control your weight, it’s important to eat a healthy diet. It helps you maintain a healthy body weight, protects your health and keeps your mood in balance.
A healthy diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy or fortified soy alternatives and lean meats, poultry, fish, nuts and seeds. It also limits saturated and trans fats, sugars and salt.
Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal. Vegetables are a good source of fiber, which can help you feel fuller longer and lower your cholesterol levels.
Replace fried or breaded meats with healthier options such as baked, steamed or grilled chicken or fish. You can also make meals more filling with dry beans.
Avoid foods high in calories, such as chocolate bars, biscuits and crisps, cakes and ice cream. They’re also high in saturated fat and salt, which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Practice Mindful Eating
When you eat mindfully, you pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues. This can help you stop eating when you’re full and prevent overeating.
It also helps you make healthier food choices and feel more energized after meals. It can be a powerful tool to control weight, says Rebecca Klapow, M.S., C.S.S.D., author of Mindful Eating.
You’ll have to practice mindfulness every time you eat to develop this skill. But if you do it consistently, you’ll be able to develop a healthy relationship with your food and your body.
You’ll also be able to notice when you’re overeating and make healthier choices in the future. In addition, mindfulness can help you reduce cortisol levels, which are linked to feelings of stress and may contribute to weight gain.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is a crucial part of keeping your weight in check. Not only does it help you feel refreshed, but it also helps your body regulate its hormones and keep blood pressure in check.
Adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, but that amount may vary from person to person. A good night’s sleep can improve your performance at work or school, reduce stress and lower your risk for chronic diseases, including obesity.
Getting enough sleep is especially important for people who are overweight. In a study published in Sleep, researchers at the University of Chicago found that participants who slept an average of 8.5 hours a night were more likely to lose weight, even while they consumed the same number of calories as the group that slept only 5.5 hours each night.