I talk to a lot of people who want to lose weight. Whether it’s 5 or 10 pounds or even more, losing weight can be tough. If it was easy, we would all be slim and trim, right? So, today let’s look at the basics of weight control and set some weight-related goals.
A calorie is a unit of energy and most foods and beverages contain calories. In order to lose weight, you need to:
- Eat and drink fewer calories
- Increase physical activity
- Combine the two for best results
The foods you eat and the beverages you drink provide both energy and nutrients. The basic nutrients everyone needs are water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Water, vitamins, and minerals do not contain calories; and, therefore, don’t give you energy. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats do give you energy in the form of calories. Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor) adds calories without providing nutrients.
When you take in more calories than you use, you gain weight.
The calories you do not use are stored as body fat. This is true whether these calories come from fats, carbohydrates, proteins, or alcohol.
You can use more calories by increasing your physical activity. Manage your weight by balancing what you eat and drink with how active you are.
Setting Your Weight Loss Goals
Write down your goals to help you stay on track. Start by setting a long-term weight loss goal and then break it down to how much you wish to lose each week. Planning to lose anywhere from ½ pound to 2 pounds per week is safe and effective. Then figure out how long you will give yourself to reach your long-term goal. Weigh yourself weekly to track your progress.
Start with a goal of 5% to 10% of your current weight. Losing just 5% can improve your health!
I currently weigh ______________ pounds.
My goal is to lose ___________ % of my
current weight, which is equal to
________________ pounds.
Losing ____________ (1/2 to 2) pound/s per week, I want to reach my weight loss
goal by ) _____________________ (date).
Stay consistent with your efforts and trust the process. You’ll reach YOUR goals before you know it.
Stay happy, healthy, and N motion, AND REMEMBER…age is just a number!
Boomers N Motion 