How to Lose 10 Pounds for Good
If you're active, you have half the weight-control puzzle solved. Unfortunately, the eating-right half is even more critical, according to Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., who heads the University of Wyoming nutrition and exercise lab.
"There's no magic bullet," she adds, instead offering a barrage of bite-size tips. Adopting even a few can help you shed pounds, and if you stick with them, you won't gain the weight back:
Avoid These Weight Loss Myths That Mess With Results
Include protein in every meal. A 2010 study found that athletes were more successful losing weight with a diet that was 35 percent protein than one that was 15 percent protein. "Protein preserves lean muscle mass and controls appetite," Larson-Meyer says. But it should be from lean sources, such as poultry, fish, lean meats, beans, lentils, soy food, and yogurt.
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Eat a meal within an hour after exercising. "This aids recovery and makes high-fat snacks less tempting."
Don't skip meals. Doing so almost always leads to excessive snacking.
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Stay hydrated before, during, and after running. "Some people perceive thirst as hunger, and water dampens hunger." Don't bother with sports beverages except during intense workouts or those that last 90 minutes or more, because you won't need the extra carbs.
Eat food, don't drink it. Guzzling an eight-ounce glass of apple juice, for example, won't fill you up as much as a large apple. The real deal also has five more grams of fiber and takes longer to finish.
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Run from fast food. A database of people who have lost significant weight and kept it off for at least a year shows that most consume only one fast-food meal per week.
Some "duh" tips you've heard that bear repeating: Eat only when you're hungry. Eat smaller portions at meals.
Run Your Butt Off!
Now, tell us: What's the most helpful diet tip you've ever received?
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