If you are trying to lose weight, the best way to achieve your goal is by starting a healthy diet plan that includes a variety of nutrient-rich food. The first step is to eliminate processed food and sugary beverages from your diet, as these can lead to weight gain. A balanced diet should include plenty of carbohydrates, but it’s important to choose complex carbohydrates that provide long-lasting energy and regulate your blood sugar. Aim to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats like nuts and seeds. These foods are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight loss plan, so focus on making healthy choices every day. By following a balanced diet and sticking to healthy food choices, you can help reduce your body weight and achieve your weight loss goals.

When trying to lose weight, it’s important to follow a meal plan that incorporates foods high in fiber and protein while also being low in calories. This can help individuals feel full and satisfied without overeating. Whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, should be a staple in every meal. In addition, foods like oatmeal, quinoa, and nuts are excellent sources of fiber and protein that can help regulate blood sugar levels and keep individuals feeling satiated throughout the day. It’s also important to keep track of portion sizes and aim to consume fewer calories than what is burned off through physical activity. Pairing a healthy diet with regular exercise can be an effective combination for achieving sustainable weight loss.

1. Make sure you’re ready

Long-term weight loss takes time and effort — and a long-term commitment. While you don’t want to put off weight loss indefinitely, you should make sure you’re ready to make permanent changes to eating and activity habits. Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness:

• Am I motivated to lose weight?
• Am I too distracted by other pressures?
• Do I use food as a means to cope with stress?
• Am I ready to learn or use other strategies to cope with stress?
• Do I need other support — either from friends or professionals — to manage stress?
• Am I willing to change my eating habits?
• Am I willing to change my activity habits?
• Do I have the time to spend on making these changes?

Talk to your doctor if you need help addressing stressors or emotions that seem like obstacles to your readiness. When you’re ready, you’ll find it easier to set goals, stay committed, and change habits.

2. Find your inner motivation

No one else can make you lose weight. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself. What’s going to give you the burning drive to stick to your weight-loss plan?

Make a list of what’s important to you to help you stay motivated and focused, whether it’s an upcoming vacation or better overall health. Then find a way to make sure that you can call on your motivational factors during moments of temptation. You might want to post an encouraging note to yourself on the pantry door or refrigerator, for instance.

While you have to take responsibility for your own behavior for successful weight loss, it helps to have support — of the right kind. Pick people to support you who will encourage you in positive ways, without shame, embarrassment, or sabotage.

Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and share the priority you’ve placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation for sticking to your weight-loss goals.

If you prefer to keep your weight-loss plans private, be accountable to yourself by having regular weigh-ins, recording your diet and exercise progress in a journal, or tracking your progress using digital tools.

3. Set realistic goals

It may seem obvious to set realistic weight-loss goals. But do you really know what’s realistic? Over the long term, it’s smart to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Generally, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower-calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that’s 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this level of weight loss can help lower your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

When you’re setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. “Walk every day for 30 minutes” is an example of a process goal. “Lose 10 pounds” is an example of an outcome goal. It isn’t essential that you have an outcome goal, but you should set process goals because changing your habits is a key to weight loss.

4. Enjoy healthier foods

Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction, or even ease of meal preparation.

One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

Get your weight loss started with these tips:

• Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily.
• Replace refined grains with whole grains.
• Use modest amounts of healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butter, and nut oils.
• Cut back on sugar as much as possible, except the natural sugar in fruit.
• Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meat and poultry in limited amounts.

5. Get active, stay active

While you can lose weight without exercise, regular physical activity plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can’t cut through diet alone.

Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system, and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help in maintaining weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity.

How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration, and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as brisk walking — for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Some people may require more physical activity than this to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.

Any extra movement helps burn calories. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day if you can’t fit in formal exercise on a given day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot when shoppin