5 Weight Loss-Friendly Ways to Improve Your Health in the New Year

If your focus for the new year is on your physical fitness, there are things you can start doing now to lose weight and enhance your wellness.

At OakBend Medical Group, our skilled bariatric surgeons Christopher Reilly, MD, FACS, Steven M. Thomas, MD, FACS, and Genna Lubrano, MD, have extensive experience helping people achieve their weight loss goals.

If you’re not a candidate for bariatric surgery but are ready to shed excess pounds, here are five weight loss-friendly ways to be successful.

1.Enhance your diet with healthier choices

Trying to follow the many available diets on the market can be difficult and expensive. You don’t have to buy into another program to start dropping weight. At each of your meals, try to achieve a balance of healthy ingredients that include:

Protein

Proteins like chicken, salmon, shrimp, beans, and eggs help you lose weight and build muscle mass. They also help you feel fuller longer, so you can avoid the temptation to snack.

Vegetables

Vegetables, especially those that are dark green and leafy, are filled with essential nutrients but low on calories. Good options include spinach, broccoli, kale, and peppers.

Healthy fats

Add healthy fats like avocado and olive oils to your daily diet. You can also include seeds, nuts, and olives when you need a snack.

Limited carbs

Too much of any carbohydrate isn’t good for weight loss, but your body still needs a small amount of carbs to function optimally and burn excess calories.

Choose whole grains and other complex carbs. Avoid simple carbs like sugar and starches to reduce your food cravings.

2. Eat regular meals

While it may seem counterintuitive to eat more when trying to lose weight, it is important that you eat three meals a day. Practice portion control at each meal and don’t skip breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can also practice mindful eating by taking your time to finish a meal and chewing slowly.

3. Keep moving

Society spends a lot of time sitting behind a desk during work hours. To support your weight loss efforts, try and move as much as you can throughout the day.

While a daily walk for at least 30 minutes can help improve your physical fitness, you may also benefit from adding weight training to your exercise plan. If you have joint pain or other issues that make exercise more difficult, consider working out in a pool.

4. Stay hydrated

Drinking water helps keep you full and can reduce your cravings for snacks between meals. A goal to aim for is half of your body weight in ounces of water every day.

If you’re not used to drinking water, start with smaller amounts and increase your water intake every few days.

5. Get high-quality sleep

Set a sleep schedule where you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Feeling rested gives you more energy to exercise every day. On the flip side, a lack of sleep can increase your risk for weight gain.

Start getting ready for bed an hour ahead of time by turning off your phone, TV, and other electronics. Practice breathing exercises or read a book to help your body relax. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday to help your body stay in a good routine.

Call OakBend Medical Group in Richmond, Texas, to learn more ways you can lose weight and keep it off or book an appointment online today.