11 tips to lose weight — and keep it off
Losing weight can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers. But as the 45 million Americans who go on a diet each year know, dropping pounds and keeping them off isn’t easy.
Three Orlando Health doctors share tips on how to start and maintain a successful weight-loss plan.
• Eliminate liquid calories. The calories in soft drinks, fancy coffees and alcohol can add up quickly. Instead, drink water, unsweetened tea and no-calorie flavored water.
• Be creative for activities and exercise. “Archery, for example, is a lot of fun and isn’t what most people think of as exercise,” says Dr. Cabiac, a board-certified internal medicine doctor with Orlando Health Physician Associates.
• Limit treats to once a week. This helps prevent snacking on high-calorie foods and gives you something to look forward to.
• Beware the office break room. Spending time with coworkers can be an enjoyable part of going to work, but sitting and snacking can undermine your weight-loss plan.
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Diet alone won’t get the weight-loss job done. You must get your heart rate up to burn calories. As you lose weight, working out will get easier. “Every extra pound of weight adds two to four pounds of stress on the knees,” says Dr. Nye, a board-certified family medicine doctor with Orlando Health Physician Associates.
• Plan your meals. Meal prep makes it easier to avoid falling into the calorie-laden traps of fast-food pit stops and eating out. Instead of picking up fried chicken, buy a precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and eat it with barbecue sauce and roasted vegetables or a salad.
• Eat your favorite foods. If you love foods that are less healthy, don’t take them completely off the menu – just don’t eat as much.
• Hold yourself accountable. Share your progress with a friend or weight-loss partner, and ask for support and encouragement when you need it.
• Stick with the plan that works for you. Consider having a structured meal plan during the work week, monitoring portions, limiting carbs and keeping track of calories. On weekends, enjoy some treats or special meals.
• Incorporate exercises that challenge you. If you don’t like cycling or running, try streaming cardio options. And mix it up with strength training or yoga.
• Train yourself to enjoy healthy foods. Try new foods that are good for you, like salmon and Brussels sprouts. “You can learn to like to eat things you may not think you like,” says Dr. Crespo, who’s board certified in infectious diseases with Orlando Health Medical Group Infectious Disease. Obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19, so Dr. Crespo notes that now it’s even more important to take off extra pounds.