So, what’s the best way to drop excess weight?

Create a new normal!

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviors.

1.      Exercise.

Regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle — both of which help you look and feel good and keep weight off. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity of your workout and add some strength exercises to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren’t exercising.

2.      Reduce screen time.

One reason people get less exercise these days is because of an increase in “screen time” — the amount of time spent watching TV, looking at the computer, using mobile devices, or playing video games. Limit recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day. If you are watching TV after work, do jumping jacks, abdominal workouts, stretching, etc. to get moving instead of being sedentary on the couch.

3.      Watch out for portion distortion.

Portion sizes are bigger than they used to be, and these extra calories contribute to obesity. Another key factor in weight gain is that more people drink sugary beverages, such as sodas, juice drinks, and sports drinks. So, choose smaller portions (or share restaurant portions) and go for water or low-fat milk instead of soda. Look at the calories/sodium/sugars when ordering at restaurants to be aware of what you are ordering.

4.      Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day.

Fruits and veggies are about more than just vitamins and minerals. They’re also packed with fiber, which means they fill you up. And when you fill up on fruits and veggies, you’re less likely to overeat. Watch out for things like Jamba Juice. They do have fruits and veggies but some smoothies are loaded in sugars, juices, and sorbets.

5.      Don’t skip breakfast.

Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, burning calories from the get-go and giving you energy to do more during the day. People who skip breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later. So, they get more calories than they would have if they ate breakfast. In fact, people who skip breakfast tend to have higher BMIs than people who eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast can be one of the biggest indicators to weight gain. Even if it’s something small like a piece of fruit or Greek yogurt, it still helps get your metabolism going.