Being overweight puts a strain not only on your self-image but also on your physical health. The risk of developing heart disease increases, and you might even experience joint and muscle pain.
Therefore, getting into shape should be your number one priority if you want to maintain your well-being. But how can you do this if you weigh 300 pounds or more?
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Visit Your Doctor
The truth is that the process of getting slimmer when you’re overweight no different than shedding off a few extra pounds after the holidays. The only difference is that in this situation it’s mandatory that you consult with your doctor beforehand.
Your health might have already been affected without you even knowing it, which means that you need to be extra-careful when going on a diet and working out. For example, if your heart is already weakened, you won’t be physically able to undergo an intense training routine.
The best person to advise you how to proceed so as to not damage your well-being even further is a certified medical professional. Thus, the first step in getting thinner when you weigh over 300 pounds is paying your doctor a visit. He or she will advise you on how to proceed further on.
Start a Regular Exercise Routine
Everyone knows that the key to getting fit is working out. And while a good routine serves many purposes, it’s essential in the process of losing weight. This is especially true if you’ve got plenty of heft to shed off.
Due to your body mass, you will be unable to start training hardcore from the get-go. There is no need to pressure yourself. Start off slowly, by taking daily walks, and then evolve towards light jogs every morning. You need to be easy on yourself, not push towards exhaustion.
But while exercising is surely a good start, it’s also important to know what to eat before spin class or after you go for a run. Therefore, the next step in your weight loss journey should be perfecting a balanced meal plan that can sustain your workouts and help you slim down at the same time.
Set a Calorie Limit
What you need to do next is to determine what your daily calorie intake is and reduce it. To achieve this, you will have to keep a meal journal in which you record every single thing you eat in a day and how many calories it contains.
According to Livestrong.com, one to two pounds can be lost weekly if you eliminate no less than 500 and no more than 1,000 calories from your daily meals. This happens because one pound is lost through a deficit of 3,500 calories.
Men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories daily, while women require from 1,600 to 2,400. However, keep in mind that your organs need at least 1,200 calories to function properly, so try not to malnourish yourself on your way to a slimmer figure. This will damage your health even more.
Adopt a Balanced Diet
After your calorie goals are set, the next step is to adopt a diet that enforces them. The key is to eat healthy while at the same time providing your body with the appropriate nutrients that it needs in order to thrive.
Lou Dubois detailed his journey on Today.com, stating that his unbalanced diet was the main culprit behind his weight gain and the subsequent decline of his health.
Furthermore, one main source of reckless calorie intake that many of us are guilty of is social drinking. While a couple of beers every once in a while never hurt anyone, when you pair them with meals that consist solely of junk food and takeout, the effects become visible.
To cut down on calories, you will need to remove processed foods from your diet and concentrate on clean eating.
Some examples of how to do this would be to replace white sugar with honey, ketchup with natural tomato sauce and so on. Steam or roast your food instead of frying it and always go for a piece of fruit for dessert instead of cake or candy.
Conclusion
Losing weight when you’re 300 pounds or over is certainly a challenge, but not an impossible one if you stay focused and work hard to achieve your goals.
The key is not to push too hard or starve yourself. Start off slowly and allow your body to adapt to your new lifestyle.
By easing yourself into the process, it will be easier to stay motivated and keep working hard towards achieving your new fitness goals.
And with a little help from a doctor you trust, the road to a thinner figure and better health will feel a lot more comfortable. The crucial thing is to never give up on your dream to get back in shape.