How to Extend Your Life by Losing Weight

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), losing even 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight may improve your health by lowering your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars. That kind of modest weight loss can reduce a person's risk factors for developing chronic diseases related to obesity, such as diabetes, stroke and some cancers. So by losing weight and moving yourself out of the "obese" category, you may gain life, and not just in quantity, but quality too. Individuals who maintain a healthy weight after shedding excess pounds say they feel better, have more energy, find it easier to get around, have more self-confidence and in general just feel better.

Things You'll Need

  • Pocket notebook
  • Pen
  • Scale
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Instructions

    • 1

      Weigh yourself on a scale and write down your "Starting Weight" in a pocket-size notebook. Set a weight loss goal that represents a 10 percent loss of your total body weight. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, make your new goal weight 180 pounds. Write down your goal weight in your notebook.

    • 2

      Count the calories of everything you consume for one week. Do not change your eating habits in the first week. Commit to not eat or drink anything unless you can determine the number of calories in it and can write it down in your notebook. Record everything you eat and drink for seven days. Total all your calories consumed for each day.

    • 3

      Weigh yourself again and write down your weight next to the day's date in your notebook. Set a weekly weigh-in time for yourself. Review your daily calorie totals from the first week. Reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day by cutting sugary sodas and caloric drinks from your diet. Drink water and diet soda. Further reduce your daily calorie counts by cutting junk food and sugary snacks from your diet. Understand that this step alone should result in a weight loss of 1 pound per week.

    • 4

      Introduce or increase your level of physical activity. Ride a stationary bike, walk, jog or swim for 20 minutes at least five days a week. Increase your exercise to 30 and then 45 or 60 minutes as you are able. Burn 250 calories each day, along with cutting 500 calories from your diet daily, and you should lose 1.5 pounds each week.

    • 5

      Continue to write down everything you eat and the number of calories you burn daily for daily calorie totals to monitor your weight loss until you reach your goal. Once you reach your first goal, set another one of losing an additional 10 percent of your body weight. Continue this strategy until you attain a healthy, non-overweight or obese body weight. Remember that maintaining weight loss and an active lifestyle over time is required for a longer and healthier life.