The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss

Photo by Bohman

I decided to revise The 7 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss post. I wanted to focus on the bare essentials of weight loss.

The 4 Keys To Permanent Weight Loss

As a weight-loss expert, I am often asked: What are the keys to losing weight? or What are your best weight-loss strategies? Every time I am asked this question, I give a different answer because weight loss is so complex and multi-faceted. Well, today, I decided to flesh out the most important strategies. These keys provide a great foundation and an excellent start.

The Top 4 Weight-Loss Keys

1. Diet


2. Exercise


3. Sleep


4. Stress

Key #1 – Diet

Calories

Estimate your daily caloric intake by:

1. Taking your height in inches


2. Subtracting 60


3. Multiplying by 50


4. Adding 1300

• Never eat fewer than 1200 calories a day. This prevents your metabolism from slowing down.


• Spread your daily calories over 4 – 6 meals. This will boost your metabolism.


• Never go more than 12 hours without eating, this includes time spent sleeping. This prevents your metabolism from slowing down.

Carbohydrates – Follow these strategies to stabilize your blood sugar.

• Best Carbs - Non-starchy vegetables


• Good Carbs - Beans and other legumes


• Okay Carbs - Starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains


• Bad Carbs - White bread, white rice, white potatoes, white flour, white sugar, white pasta, high fructose corn syrup, other syrups, and other sugars.

1. Avoid Bad Carbs


2. Eat Good and Okay Carbs before noon


3. Eat Best Carbs after noon

Proteins – Eating protein boosts your metabolism and is essential for building muscle.

Estimate your daily protein intake in grams by:

1. Taking your estimated daily caloric intake


2. Dividing by 20

Fats – You need fats, but all fats were not created equal.

Avoid trans fats, they are not good for your body especially your heart.

Key #2 – Exercise

• Strength train for 30 – 45 minutes, 2-3 times a week. Focus on exercises for your: glutes (butt), quads (front thigh), hamstrings (rear thigh), lats (back), pecs (chest), and delts (shoulders). These are your largest muscles in size and your biggest calorie burners.


• Do an aerobic exercise, which involves the legs, for 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week


• Get a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day

Key #3 – Sleep

Sleep at least 7 hours every night. This helps to maintain your proper hormonal balance, stabilize your blood sugar, and decrease hunger.

Key #4 – Stress

Don’t sweat the small stuff and eliminate as much stress as you can. This helps to maintain your proper hormonal balance, stabilize your blood sugar, and decrease hunger.

Laugh as much as humanly possible. Watch comedies, read funny books, and laugh at yourself. This helps to decrease stress.

For a great laugh check out the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Neglect

Each of these keys is essential to losing and keeping off the pounds. Do not neglect any of them.

Bonus Key

This is a good weight loss foundation. However for a comprehensive and inexpensive weight loss program, check out the ‘Don’t Go Broke’ Weight Loss Plan.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**