by Haley Whitewood

Created on: November 21, 2008   Last Updated: December 02, 2008

Improve your health by losing weight

Many of us think that in order to reap the benefits of weight loss, we have to drop down to the tiny

sizes we flaunted during our heydays in college. The magical number is 10. Ten percent, that is.

This is by what percentage you need to lose weight to see and feel real changes. The risk of type 2

diabetes drops, because your body's ability to make insulin will be improved. Even if you already

have type 2 diabetes, symptoms can improve significantly.

A 10% weight loss usually means a marked reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two

of the main causes of heart disease. Other benefits include having more energy and mental clarity.

So now that you're a little inspired, where should you start? Saying you are on a diet, and giving

up your favorite foods are two very different things. Luckily, one can start losing that 10% percent

body weight by just making little changes in the way you approach food.

Portion size reduction
Weight gain doesn't happen because you eat a lot of fat. It's all about calories. Even a healthy diet

of 3000 calories a day is bound to induce weight gain. So, the most important ways to improve

your health and drop the pounds is to reduce calorie consumption. Rather than fast from all foods

familiar right off the bat, start by eating a little less. If you usually consume three scoops of mashed

potatoes at dinner, cut that in half.

Buying smaller plates and bowls will have you eating less and seeing the numbers drop from the

scale quicker than you think.

Food Displacement
Food displacement is a form of damage control in which you eat healthy foods earlier in the day to

avoid binging on the less healthy stuff later on. Soon, you will be eating healthier foods and that

bag of chips doesn't seem so enticing when you are already satisfied.

It's Water Time!
With all the calories in alcohol, juices, and other drinks (e.g. 120 calories per serving of orange juice)

If the clear stuff by itself makes you groan, try cold water with cut cucumber, lemon, or lime.

Another practice with water is to drink a full cup of water before your meal and while you eat.

This will help you be full long before you finish your meal, which means you eat less.

Eat slowly
It takes a while for our bodies to tell us when our stomachs are full. Eating slowly and chewing

thoroughly helps us eat less before feeling that painful stomach bulge.

Snacking is good?
The old practice of eating three large meals a day is slowly dying out in favor of 4 to 5 smaller

meals. Or, simply eating smaller meals and snacking in between is great. For snack ideas, keep

nuts, fruit, and low fat cottage cheese or yogurt nearby.

Nature has its sweets, too!
The produce aisle is replete with a great variety of tasty sweets that are just as sweet as junk food,

but without the crappy feeling later on. Try intensely colored grapes, apples, berries, citrus fruits,

and persimmons.

Exercise
No attempt at weight loss is complete without exercise. Not only does working out regularly

improve your metabolism and burn calories, it strengthens the body's skeletal and immune

systems, builds fat-burning muscle, and sculpts an amazing physique.

Don't stop with a 10% weight loss! Aim for another 10%, or even 5% until your goal weight is

reached.

Learn more about this author, Haley Whitewood.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.