These days, it feels like every month or so a new dietary trend emerges that promises to be “the one” that will solve all your weight loss problems and finally help you drop those pounds. If you’ve already tried a few—or perhaps even several—of these apparently easy solutions to losing weight without any success, then it might be time to completely rethink your strategy. To this end, our Laurel physical therapists would like to present you with the most tried and true steps you can take to actually slim down without to getting caught up in the hoopla of false outrageous claims.

Many people turn to diet pills and supplements to help them achieve their weight loss goals, either as a first attempt or after numerous other pursuits have failed. Although these types of pills may occasionally work for certain individuals in certain situations, they are not a permanent solution, and most will go on to gain back the weight they lost. On top of that, the pills can be dangerous for people with medical conditions or on certain medications, and reports of horrible side effects are common.

Fad diets that only last for a finite period of time are guilty of the same flaw: after completing the diet and not upholding any of the changes made, many participants will go on to eventually regain all of their lost weight. As you can see, the problem is that there is no “quick fix” to dieting for weight loss. The only way to truly make it happen is to change your dietary and exercise habits and stick with those changes in the long term. Here are some crucial tips to help you pursue your weight loss goals:

Fundamental weight loss tips from our Laurel physical therapists

• Count (and reduce) calories: the most obvious first step of any plan to lose weight should be to regulate and reduce your daily intake of calories
  • To lose weight, most experts recommend consuming anywhere from 1,000-1,500 calories per day, which depends on several factors
• Cut sugars and starches: both of these carbohydrates stimulate the secretion of insulin, which is the main fat storage hormone of the body
  • When you reduce the amount of insulin in your blood, fat can be released from fat stores, which allows the body to burn it instead of carbs
  • Read labels and be sure to watch out for unnecessary added sugars
• Add protein and vegetables: if you are reducing sugars and starches from your diet, you should be replacing them with lean sources of protein and veggies
  • Doing so will balance your blood sugar and stabilize your energy levels
  • Focus on lean meats, seafood and eggs, the healthiest protein sources
• Exercise: of course, no weight loss plan is complete without regular exercise
  • Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (brisk walking) or 75 minutes of high-intensity (jogging) physical activity per week
  • Be sure to include strength training as well, which will also help burn calories and speed up your metabolism
• Other: reduce your plate and portion size, make healthy foods visible, drink lots of water regularly, don’t skip meals and plan meals in advance

This may sound like more work than popping a pill everyday or just cutting out one food group from your diet, but the truth is that losing weight really does require hard work and dedication. It may be a challenge at first, but once you adapt to a healthier lifestyle, it will eventually become second nature, and on top of that, you won’t have to worry about regaining your lost weight if you stick to your plan in the long term. Here at CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services, our Laurel physical therapists are confident that you can make these lasting changes and actually lose weight without any gimmicks. For any muscle or joint pain, contact us at 301-776-9443 to schedule an appointment at any of our three clinics in Laurel, Hyattsville or Glenn Dale/Bowie MD, today, or click here for more information on weight loss.