Ava Kaiser

Professor Childs

English 101

23 February 2021

How To Lose Weight in a Safe and Healthy Way

Losing weight is something millions of people try to accomplish every day. There are

several ways one can go about losing weight, but many of these are detrimental to ones physical

and mental health. Today, this essay will show you how you can lose weight in a safe and

healthy way. The first step is to talk to yourself positively about what you want to achieve.

During this step, you will find your reason and set your goal. This also includes knowing what

your body needs. The next step is to start planning meals daily. Step three is staying hydrated.

Staying hydrated is key to healthy weight loss. The next step is exercise. This involves knowing

what workouts are safe for you, and being realistic about how often you can work out. The fifth

step is to get plenty of sleep. Finally, for the last step, get support to build a healthy lifestyle.

Talking to yourself positively about your weight goals and health achievements is an

extremely important step in this process. The psychology of weight loss focuses mostly on

shifting ones approach to food, like determining what it is that leads to overeating and how to

replace bad behaviors with good ones. (Discover Good Nutrition, Fitness & Beauty. 28 Feb.

2017.) Not only should you approach to food, but also to approach our inner self to talk nice.

Positive self-talk is good, because it helps us when we fall. Instead our inner voice tells us that it

is okay when we mess up, instead of beating ourselves up. The thinking goes like this: If we

constantly tells ourselves that we are fat and lazy, it is pretty much a given that we will act the

part. We are more likely to behave the way healthy people do, if we envision ourselves as
healthy and active.You will eat better, get more exercise, and you will learn to shift your self

image into something much more positive. (Discover Good Nutrition, Fitness & Beauty. 28 Feb.

2017.)

One of the toughest parts to losing weight, is healthy eating. A smart approach to healthy

eating and sticking with it, is meal planning. Meal planning comes in many forms, and is easy to

adjust to fit your schedule. For example, going to a drive through seems like the best option

when you are in a rush, but you can make meals ahead to keep frozen for months if you do not

have much time to prepare food. Meal planning is not as difficult as it seems, with many blogs

and apps that help plan and keep track of your eating habits. According to VeryWellFit, a fitness

blog, there are many important things to know about each meal. For starters, do not skip

breakfast. Eating breakfast will help you start your day with plenty of energy. Lunch is the time

to pack something that will keep you full and stay healthy, so you are not tempted to get a snack

from the vending machine. Dinner is a time when its easy to over-eat, so remember to watch

your portion sizes during this time. Also, snacks throughout the day are okay! Just remember to

keep snacks low in calories. (Shereen, 17 Sept. 2020.) To keep up with your meal planning, keep

a food diary with you, so you can write down what you eat. This helps you to remember what

you have been eating.

So far, you have read about having a positive mindset, and starting a meal plan. The third

step, is staying hydrated. Drinking water has several benefits that promotes healthy weight loss,

such as increasing the amount of calories you burn. Drinking water before every meal can also

help you feel full. Studies have shown that drinking water before each meal may increase weight

loss by 4 pounds, and another study showed that overweight and obese participants who drank

water before each meal lost 44% more weight, compared to a group that did not drink more
water. (Bjarnadottir, 14 Dec. 2020) Many health officials recommend drinking about 2 liters of

water per day, and if you are doing things that cause dehydration, such as working out, you

should drink more.

The fourth step of this journey, is exercise. Every single time you excessive, you burn

calories and fat. According to Timothy Church, MD, MPH, PhD, “the best exercise to lose

weight is the exercise you will do.” (Sarnataro, 04 Dec. 2008) If you are a beginner at workouts

and staying active, start with something your body can do, like walking or working out on an

exercise bike. Any light exercise, such as choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator, is

beneficial if done most days of the week.

The next step, is getting enough sleep. There have been several studies that show the

weight loss benefits of getting a good sleep, and the negative health impacts caused by sleep

deprivation. Numerous studies have suggested that restricted sleep and poor sleep quality may

lead to metabolic disorders, weight gain, and an increased risk of obesity and other chronic

health conditions. (Sleep Foundation. 09 Oct. 2020.) Several studies have also indicated that

sleep deprivation affects food preferences. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to choose foods that

are high in calories and carbohydrates. (Sleep Foundation. 09 Oct. 2020.) Having a good nights

rest also benefits in other ways, because losing sleep can result in having less energy for exercise

and physical activity. Feeling tired also tends to make workouts less safe.

Our final step in this journey is step six; finding a support system. According to McCarty

weight loss, a weight loss blog, support systems can take a variety of forms, including emotional,

practical, and inspirational support. Someone who provides emotional support offers a listing ear

and shoulder to cry on when you are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Practical support may
come in the form of a friend offering to watch your kids while you go to the gym, or a family

member who helps you prep healthy meals for the week. Inspirational support can be a friend

who commits to workout out with you, encourages you to keep moving and helps you stay

motivated to stick to your goals. (McCarty Weight Loss Center. 16 Apr. 2018.) Researchers have

found that people who enroll in a weight loss program with friends do a better job losing weight

and keeping it off. (McCarty Weight Loss Center. 16 Apr. 2018.) There are many things you can

do to build and maintain a healthy support system. Being honest with your family and friends

about your weight loss journey can ensure that you get the support you need. Remember that if

you ask your friend to help hold you accountable, you must stay in touch and be honest. You

could also joint a weight loss support group, see a dietitian, health coach, or a professional

fitness trainer.

It will take some time to adjust to this new way of life, but you will thank yourself in the

end.
 Works Cited

Bjarnadottir, Adda. "How Drinking More Water Can Help You Lose Weight." Healthline.

Healthline Media, 14 Dec. 2020.

"Easy Strategies for Planning Healthy Meals." Food Network.

"How Maintaining a Strong Social Support System Can Help You Lose Weight." McCarty

Weight Loss Center. 16 Apr. 2018.

Medically Reviewed by Dr Louise Wiseman MBBS, and Dr Louise Wiseman MBBS. "9 Expert

Tips to Help You Lose Weight." Netdoctor. 05 Oct. 2020.

"Positive Self-talk: A Key Piece to the Weight Loss Puzzle - Herbalife." Discover Good

Nutrition, Fitness & Beauty. 28 Feb. 2017.

Sarnataro, Barbara Russi. "Good Exercises to Lose Weight, How Much Exercise to Lose

Weight." 04 Dec. 2008.

Shereen Lehman, MS. "How to Plan a Healthy Diet for One Week Using Meal Plans." Verywell

Fit. 17 Sept. 2020.

"Why Is Sleep So Important to Weight Loss?" Sleep Foundation. 09 Oct. 2020.