three 30-minutes weight-lifting sessions each week will make a big difference in your body composition and, therefore, in the number of calories you burn each day.
6. Eat healthfully.
You can be well nourished while you’re losing weight, says Nelson. In fact, eating well makes it easier to lose weight because you’ll feel better, and you’ll have more energy to stay active. Ideally, your daily intake of calories will break down like this: 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates, 10 to 35 percent from protein, and 20 to 35 percent from fat. The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 7 percent of your daily calories in saturated fat, and of those, less than 1 percent in trans fat.
And make sure you load up on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They’ll help provide lifelong protection from a host of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Keep in mind, too, that when you’re planning your diet, you’re making lifelong changes. Don’t deprive yourself of foods you like or that your body needs. Just eat less of the more fattening ones (an occasional scoop of Haagen-Dazs, not a pint).
7. Track your success.
Successful “losers,” studies show, chart their progress. Writing it down keeps you from fooling yourself about how much you’re eating and exercising. And watching those numbers drop on the
