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Losing weight will require you to cut back on calories to help induce weight loss. Following a moderate calorie diet over time will help you reach your weight loss goals. In general, cutting out about 500 calories daily will yield a weight loss of about 12 pounds a week. This is considered safe and healthy weight loss. Cutting out larger amounts of calories or eating less than 1,200 calories daily is not considered safe, healthy, or appropriate. You're putting yourself at risk for nutrient deficiencies as it is hard to consume all the nutrients you need on a very low calorie diet. In addition, these types of diets are generally not sustainable long-term. If you're interested in following a particular calorie limit, you can plug in your height, weight, and activity level into an online calculator to help determine what's an appropriate calorie level to follow when attempting to lose weight. You may also talk to your registered dietitian about what calorie level is appropriate for you based on your weight loss goals. Eating foods that are high in lean protein is essential to weight loss. Protein helps keep you feeling satisfied and helps fuel your weight loss. Eat a source of lean protein at every meal and snack. This will help you meet the minimum requirements each day. In general, women should consume 46 g of protein daily and men should consume 56 g of protein daily. Foods that are high in lean protein include: poultry, lean beef, eggs, pork, seafood, tofu, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. Minimize higher fat protein foods as these contain more calories and could slow weight loss. Items like fatty cuts of beef, sausage, bacon, full-fat dairy, or poultry with skin should be eaten only occasionally. These foods will help support your weight loss as they are very low calorie and can help provide bulk to your meals and keep you feeling satisfied longer. Include a variety of fruits each day or week. Ideally eat about one to two servings of fruit each day. A serving counts as 1/2 cup cut fruit, one small piece of fruit, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. Eat a variety of vegetables each day or week. Aim for at least three to five servings of vegetables each day. A serving counts as 1 cup or 2 cups of leafy greens. Starchy vegetables like carrots, peas, or potatoes are appropriate to include on a weight loss plan. They do contain slightly more calories, but are acceptable to eat when you're trying to lose weight. When you're choosing to eat grains, go for 100% whole grains as often as you can. Whole grains are high in fiber, vitamins and other essential nutrients. Whole grains to include are: quinoa, oats, 100% whole wheat bread or pasta and brown rice. One serving of whole grains is 1 oz or 1/2 cup. Include one to two servings daily. Monitor the amounts of whole grains you consume while trying to lose weight. Although a part of a healthy diet, whole grains contain more calories and less nutrients compared to lean protein, fruits, and vegetables. When you're cutting down on calories and increasing exercise, you may find yourself more hungry throughout the day. Snacking may help manage your hunger while continuing to support your weight loss. Snacks should be included when appropriate. For example, if there's more than five hours between meals or as fuel before or after a workout. Snacks should also be monitored closely. If you're not hungry or it's close to a meal time, pass on your snack. Eating extra calories when not necessary may slow or hinder your weight loss. Be smart when you're snacking. Snacks should be around 100-200 calories when you're trying to lose weight. Healthy snacks that can support your weight loss include: an individual greek yogurt, a hard boiled egg, carrots and hummus, or 1/2 cup of edamame. Make healthy swaps for your favorite snacks. If you find yourself missing your old comfort foods, try swapping out healthier foods for those higher calorie snack foods. For example, instead of cookies after dinner, have a 1/2 cup of pineapple to cut your sweet craving. Although dieting requires you to follow a program for an extended period of time, it's also important to indulge occasionally. Completing avoid certain foods long-term may trigger a binge. Schedule in the occasional indulgence into your meal plan. It can be anything, for example: going out to dinner or eating a small sweet. Scheduling this into your meal plan can help you see how you can compensate. You may consider spending 10 more minutes on the treadmill or having lighter meals throughout the day. Be honest about your indulgences. They should be occasional this will be different for everyone, but these things shouldn't be popping up daily. Adequate fluids helps you stay hydrated which will support your weight loss. When you're dehydrated you may feel hungry and tired which could trigger you to eat. Extra calories may result in slow weight loss or a weight stall. Aim for at least 64 oz or about 2 L of clear, sugar-free fluids each day. This is a good rule of thumb to remember, but you may need more fluids. Sugar-free fluids to sip on include: water, flavored waters, tea and coffee, or no-calorie sports drinks.
Monitor calories. Eat lean protein at every meal. Make half your meals a fruit or vegetable. Choose 100% whole grains. Snack healthy. Indulge in moderation. Drink enough water.