Weight Loss Key to a Healthy Heart

By Rebecca Scritchfield MA, RD, LD - DietsInReview.com

Curious why weight loss is necessary in preventing heart disease. Controlling your weight is a step toward controlling heart disease risk factors, like blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Even if you don't have these heart disease risk factors now, you could always develop them.

If you're overweight or obese, it's vitally important that you try to lose weight. A minimal reduction of just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight can lower your risk for heart disease. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, a mere 20 pound weight loss can help to save your life and prevent this disease that is the number one killer of women in the U.S.

The most important thing you can do to promote weight loss is reduce your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories each day, and engage in more physical activity, like a 30 minute walk daily. At a loss of two pounds a week, you'll reach your goal within three months. What's even better, it takes about three months for a behavior change to take effect. Just as you are reaching your weight goal, you will be reaching your behavior change timeline, too. Be patient with your weight loss and you'll succeed.

Here are a few of my favorite weight loss tips that work:

* Avoid liquid calories (except fat-free milk) and limit wine to 1-3 glasses per week.
* Eat off smaller plates, and fill half with vegetables.
* Eat when you feel hungry, but not when you are bored, tired, stressed, or watching TV.
* Before eating any sweets, make sure to have two whole fruits a day.
* Write down everything you eat or drink for several days. Make sure you expend more calories than you consume.

Do you have a favorite weight loss tip? Please share it below.

Also read Five Foods That Will Save Your Heart, all perfect additions to a healthy diet as you work toward your weight loss goal.

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