How Do I Lose More Weight?

Many men and women ask the question: How do I lose more weight? Often they are seeking a panacea, a pill or a special diet. They want the holy grail to a fabulous body. But like Cher said so many years ago in the Scandinavian Health Spa commercial: “If it came in a bottle, everyone would have one.”

Other times people, especially women, have started losing weight and hit a plateau. They just cannot seem to lose more weight no matter what they do. Still others made a lifestyle change they were unaware of but noticed they started losing weight and now want to lose more. So, in answer to the question, “How do I lose more weight?”, the response is, “It depends.”

The most important factor in losing more weight is lifestyle. Lifestyle includes diet, exercise, and stress. Continue making lifestyle changes gradually. Drastic actions are too hard to maintain. Why? It generally takes 30 days of continuous action to make something a habit. Whenever your weight loss slows down or stops, make another change. For example, week 1 begin walking (to work, at lunch, in the evening) 20-30 minutes per day. Week 3-4 cut out all sodas, heavily concentrated fruit juices, and other sugary drinks. Drink water and unsweetened teas instead. Week 6-7 begin eating 5-8 fruit and vegetable servings per day, uncooked or lightly steamed when possible. (Juices do not count unless they are fruit that you juiced in a juicer or blended in a blender). Eat additional fruits and vegetables in lieu of rice, pasta or bread at mealtime and substitute carrot sticks or an apple with peanut butter for the chips you would normally grab as a snack when you get hungry.

If you are further along than the above example assumes, to lose more weight increase your workout/exercise intensity, increase your snacking on whole fruits and vegetables, and make sure you are eating the right amount of calories (not too much, not too little) to support your target weight. If you are eating too little, your body will conserve calories to protect itself and you will find it continue to find it difficult to lose weight. In addition, pay attention to what you are eating. Often, people do the following without realizing the consequences: eat hard candies all day at work, grab a little muffin in the break room, sip a soda while watching a ball game in the evening. That could easily add up to 700 additional calories. (8 pieces of hard candy at 20 calories each = 160 calories, a commercial muffin = 300 calories, a 12-oz soda = 240 calories). That mindless snacking may be what is stopping you from losing more weight.

If the latter is not your nemesis, it may be your workout. I often see many people who bike and jog a lot yet have significant basketball bellies. They do the same workout all the time so their bodies have become highly efficient at performing those tasks. Hence, they burn few calories. Increase the intensity of your workout. Do intervals. If you always use the elliptical trainer, get off! Run outside or on the treadmill. Use the rowing machine. Participate in a boot camp. Do P90X or a similar program. Take up kickboxing or another martial art. Mix it up and sweat more. Variety and intensity will get you back on the weight loss continuum.
Finally, refrain from eating late, unless you also work out late. Match your food consumption with your energy usage. Your body will thank you for it. You will lose more weight and have more energy.

To summarize the responses to “How do I lose more weight?”, gradually and continually change your lifestyle. If you have already made the major changes, tweak them by increasing the frequency and quality of your snacks and the intensity of your workouts. And remember to get your rest! Your body uses more energy (translation: burns more calories) when it is well rested.