The Best Way to Lose Weight & Get Strong

Losing weight is just one step toward achieving optimal health. Strong bodies are fit bodies, and offer enhanced performance, a higher metabolism, and a greater range of motion, flexibility and stamina. The best way to lose weight and get strong is to combine the benefits of exercise and a well-balanced and nutritious diet.

Cutting Calories

Many of us consume hundreds of extra calories every day. We drink that Starbucks coffee, rush through the drive-through, and then toss something frozen into the microwave for dinner. However, merely by cutting down on high-fat, high-calorie foods and drinks, we can eliminate thousands of "empty" calories a week from our diets. Empty calories are those that don't benefit our health or our needs. To lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you consume on a daily basis. So, if you consume 1,000 calories and only burn off 500, you're not going to lose weight.

Increase Exercise

Increasing exercise while cutting calories is the best way to lose weight and gain muscle strength at the same time. However, you must eat properly in order to offer your muscles and body the right balance of foods that provide vital proteins, carbs and fats to enhance your weight loss efforts. Check your BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine what your ideal weight should be based on your height.

Weight Loss Tactics

Maintaining an adequate diet is essential to losing weight and keeping it off. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and trim fat off meat prior to broiling or baking. In addition, maintain at least three servings of dairy products such as milk, yogurt or cottage cheese a day and at least three servings of whole grain products like whole wheat breads, cereals or pasta every day.

Eating five to six small meals throughout the day constantly keeps the metabolism kicked up and burning energy all day. For example, try eating every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day, and nothing after 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening.

Muscle-building exercises that utilize weights not only build lean muscle, but burn calories at a fast rate. Lifting heavier weights with fewer reps builds muscle fast. You should be straining to perform the exercise correctly after completing about six reps, so test various weights to determine which you should start with.

Attitude

Attitude and behavior is an important aspect of weight loss and long-term fitness goals. Setting those goals takes time and effort. Sometimes we slip, but it's important to keep trying. Weight loss is a long-term process that requires us to change our eating habits and behaviors. Incorporating exercise into daily routines also requires mental discipline. However, when combined, utilizing a positive attitude, increasing exercise and decreasing empty calories, you can achieve successful and long-term weight loss goals, while benefiting from a strong, lean and toned body at the same time.