Guidelines for healthy weight loss

Setting the pace

Take it slow – aim for a weight loss of one or two pounds a week

One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories – to lose one pound a week, you should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories a week

You can reach this target by reducing your daily food intake by 500-1,000 calories per day (500 calories x 7 days will remove 3,500 calories a week from your diet)

If you’re a female, you should consume at least 1,200 calories a day, unless you are in a medically-supervised, very low-calorie regimen

If you are a male, you should consume a minimum of 1,500 calories per day

One step at a time

• Focus on a long-term weight loss goal, rather than a short-term quick fix
• Successful weight loss comes from changing your eating habits for a lifetime, not by following a fad diet
• No need to starve yourself to lose weight – burn off some of those excess calories by adding regular exercise to your daily routine
• The ideal program for weight loss includes a combination of exercise and calorie reduction – you can easily reach your ‘pound a week’ target by simply eating 250 fewer calories a day and exercising the other 250 calories away
• Small changes make a big difference – you’ll be surprised at how much energy your can burn in a week, just by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to work, instead of driving your car
• Physical activity also builds muscles, so you actually burn calories while you’re resting!

Success strategies

• Keep a food diary – write down what you’re eating every day and how much – include your hunger levels and any emotional responses that may have triggered your need to eat – you’ll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself from your food diary!
• Strive for a healthy diet – don’t eliminate specific food groups from your meal planning (a high-protein, no carb diet is just not healthy over the long term!)
• Add complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, to your diet – look for lean sources of protein, such as chicken and fish and choose low-fat dairy products
• Eat regularly throughout the day – skipping meals just drives you to eat more later
• If you expect to be longer than 5 hours between meals, plan time for a healthy snack – regular food (energy) intake keeps your metabolism working normally and your blood-sugar levels constant (but no starchy snacks, like bagels or cookies – reach for yogurt, fruit or veggies, instead!)
• Watch your portion sizes – Canada’s Food Guide lists normal servings sizes for each food group
• To keep portions under control, trick your eyes and mind by using smaller plates
• Eat slowly – it can take your brain up to 20 minutes to register feelings of fullness
• Treat yourself to your favourite foods once a week and don’t feel guilty – have that bowl of ice cream or a piece of grandma’s fried chicken – you can’t expect to give up treats forever, so learn to eat them in moderation
• Create a support group to help you stick with your new dietary habits – get your family, friends or colleagues to encourage you and keep you motivated
• Respond to momentary lapses right away – if you’ve broken all the rules one weekend, don’t give up on your new health regimen – go back to your food plan right away (don’t wait ‘till Monday!) and start eating and exercising again – you’ll quickly find yourself back on track!