Health Articles Blog

A healthy diet is only part of the path to achieving results on any weight loss diet plan. Exercise is essential for healthy weight loss, and to maintaining a healthy body. The absolute best time to start getting exercise is now. No matter what excuses you think you have, you will always have more. These 5 exercise tips, along with a healthy diet, will help you achieve long term healthy weight loss.

1 - Start small

Don't start your exercise plan with the goal of running a marathon. Like with a healthy diet, your body will take a bit of time to get used to exercising. Pick an activity that you can realistically do for at least 30 minutes, and at least 3 days a week.

To make things a little more complicated, I didn’t want to go on a diet. Deprivation had no part in my plan.

Six months later, I’ve dined out at delicious restaurants, indulged in weekly cocktails and wine, and eaten my fair share of dessert. Lose the Dough disaster? Hardly! I’ve lost 2% of my body fat and an inch from both my hips and waist. (See photos of my progress here.) A couple of small changes paid off in big ways. Here’s how I did it.

I ate more protein

For years I thought the “eat tons of protein” trend was all diet hype. And while I certainly won’t be giving up carbs any time soon, I’ve learned that a healthy mix of protein and whole grains is key for satiety and controlling my cravings. After meeting with a registered dietitian, I’ve made an effort to include more protein in my diet—usually avocado, beans, peanut butter, and tofu. Not surprisingly, I feel a lot more satisfied after meals (and less tempted to raid the cookie jar).