Eating Healthier to Lose Weight: How I Lost 25 Pounds in Four Months

Four months ago I decided that I was putting on a few too many extra pounds, so I decided to radically alter my eating habits to try to lose weight. And now after four months I have lost a total of 25 pounds merely by eating healthier. You, too, can eat healthier to lose weight, quite simply and easily with some simple nutritional tips for eating healthier and more regularly.

Tip #1: Eat more fiber

Fiber has a number of health and nutritional benefits, ranging from cholesterol regulation to cancer prevention. By switching to a fiber rich diet, you will automatically be eating healthier and cutting calories because fiber does not get digested as it passes through your body's digestive system. In addition, fiber fills you up and remains in your stomach longer than do foods that are less rich in fiber. The end result is that you will feel full longer, you will be eating healthier, and you will be cutting calories at the same time.

Tip #2: Eat six small meals daily

Eat healthier food in smaller quantities, but more frequently. By eating six small meals per day instead of three larger meals, you will keep your metabolism running efficiently, so you will burn calories quicker and more consistently. In addition, you will be inclined to eat less at each sitting, meaning that you will be less likely to binge or overeat because of hunger from starving yourself. By keeping to six small meals of 250 to 300 calories each, I have been able to lose 25 pounds in four months without any difficulty. And I find that I am eating nutritional and delicious foods all the the time and am very seldom truly hungry.

Tip #3: Eat fresh fruit and vegetables

Fresh fruit and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and fiber and are relatively low in calories. By eating several servings of fruit and vegetables per day, you will feel fuller because of the fiber they contain, plus you will be more likely to get all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs naturally. Most vegetables contain very few calories, so in general you can eat as many vegetables as you like with your six small meals and you will not affect your calorie consumption significantly. Fruit in general has more calories than vegetables due to the higher content of sugars in most fruit, but the fiber content in many fruits such as berries and apples will ensure that you do not consume too many calories.

Tip #4: Eat lean protein such as fish and poultry

If you include a three to four ounce portion of lean protein such as poultry (e.g. turkey or chicken) and fish (e.g. tuna or sardines), you will help to keep your metabolism running, and you will ensure that you have the protein it takes to retain your muscle mass with moderate exercise. One of the dangers of dieting is that you can lose muscle mass if you do not pair your healthier eating with exercise to build and retain muscle mass. This is important because increased muscle mass will help burn fat calories more quickly and will keep you slim and fit. It is best to include at least some protein from poultry, fish, or even skim milk in a pinch, with each of your six small meals.

Tip #5: Count your calories

It is very easy to count your calories throughout the day. Just keep track of how many calories you are including in your small meals, and write them down as you consume them. You can use a calorie calculator to determine how many calories you need to sustain your current weight. A calorie deficit of 3500 calories will result in a pound of fat loss, and in general you should aim to lose between one and two pounds of fat per week.

People of different weights, body types, and activity levels will require different amounts of calories, so be sure to figure out your weekly caloric needs to sustain your current weight and then plan to cut that amount by between 3500 and 7000 calories per week. Doing so will ensure that you are not losing weight too quickly by starving yourself. It is better to lose weight more slowly and to develop the proper eating habits to eat healthier than to starve yourself to lose weight too quickly. Just be sure to divide up your overall weekly and daily caloric needs into six smaller meals to keep your metabolism running efficiently.

I found that by sticking to a calorie count of 1500 to 1800 calories per day for myself that I was able to lose weight steadily without starving myself, and I was eating healthier than I had in many years.

Tip #6: Cut the fast food

Most fast food is loaded with calories. If you are not careful, you can easily consume your entire daily calorie budget in a single meal at most fast food joints. There are ways to eat healthier and still include an occasional fast food meal. For example, two Taco Bell tacos, fresco style, will have a total calorie count of 300 calories, which is perfect for one of your six small meals. As long as you learn to eat fast food sparingly and in the proper portions, fast food can still be a small part of one's attempt at eating healthier. But in general, you will be more successful at eating healthier if you limit your fast food intake to very small and infrequent portions.

In conclusion, it is easy to lose weight by eating healthier as long as you watch your daily calorie intake, use fresh and healthy foods, and eat smaller portions more frequently to keep your metabolism running efficiently. If you follows these tips for eating healthier, you also can lose 25 pounds in four months, just as I did.