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Weight Loss Plans For Women
No matter where you are in the process of improving your health, losing weight can be difficult. Some people may find that structured diets and weight loss strategies work well for them, particularly if they enjoy having a comprehensive set of rules to follow. Finding a program that is secure, efficient, and long-lasting can be challenging for many women, though, because there are so many options.
A couple of the best weight reduction programs for women, as suggested by professionals, are listed below if you’re interested in reducing weight but don’t know where to begin.
Which Women's Weight Loss Plans Are Available?
Women seem to have access to an almost limitless variety of weight loss methods, ranging from diet plans and bootcamp-style workouts to pre-packaged food delivery services that promise immediate results.
Popular diets that promote weight reduction and general health, such the plant-based diet, low-carb diet, or Mediterranean diet, offer broad recommendations for what foods to eat and what to avoid. Commercial programs, on the other hand, such as Noom or Weight Watchers (WW), offer a more systematic approach to weight loss along with more specific criteria to adhere to.
Finding a weight loss plan that suits your goals and tastes might be difficult with so many to pick from. In any case, the majority of fitness and nutrition specialists concur that the best way to lose weight is to combine a healthy, balanced diet with frequent exercise.
According to Stephanie Thomas, a Washington, D.C.-based certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant, “nutrition is key to seeing weight loss results.” “It will be extremely difficult to see the results you want even with the most effective exercise program out there if you are not eating in a calorie deficit and fueling your body with nutritious foods.”
However, many women still find it difficult to lose weight even with a good diet and consistent exercise. Men might lose weight more quickly than women because they can consume more and are typically larger and have more muscle to support, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. Women also often have higher body fat percentages and lower muscle mass, which burns less calories than muscle.
Thomas says that while it may take some time and perseverance to see results, it’s important to select a food and fitness regimen that you can adhere to. To assist hold you accountable, she suggests engaging with a professional, such as a medical weight loss specialist, personal trainer, or certified dietitian. Another strategy that helps keep you on track for long-term success is to team up with a weight loss or exercise partner who has similar objectives.
Women's Meal Plans for Losing Weight
There are a number of female-focused meal plans that are beneficial for losing weight. Here are a few of the best options that professionals have suggested.
Method of the Balanced Plate
Paulina Lee, a Sugar Land, Texas-based registered dietitian and creator of the wellness program Savvy Stummy, which supports gut health, points out that incorporating more diversity into your diet may be easily achieved by using the balanced plate method. “Place half of your 9-inch plate in veggies, 25% in lean protein, and 25% in starch. This will help you avoid tracking macros or counting calories,” she says.
According to Lee, this diet plan is reasonable, maintainable, and useful for long-term weight loss. In addition, she notes that including fiber, protein, and healthy fats in your meal will help you feel filled for longer and cut down on between-meal snacking and other cravings.
Portion control plates, which follow the same recommendations as the balanced plate approach, may aid in weight loss for those who are overweight, obese, or have type 2 diabetes, according to a review of 23 studies. Additionally, the analysis found that eating more fruits and vegetables was one of the good nutritional behaviors linked to portion control plates.
Dietary Mediterranean
The owner of Gisela Bouvier Nutrition in Punta Gorda, Florida and licensed dietitian Gisela Bouvier suggests the Mediterranean diet since it can help with weight loss and general wellness. As per Bouvier, the consumption of entire grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats like nuts and seeds is encouraged in the Mediterranean diet.
According to one study, eating a low-calorie, Mediterranean diet significantly reduced fat loss in both menopausal and pre-menopausal women. Even with only moderate aerobic exercise, women lost an average of over five pounds of body fat during the eight-week research.
The Mediterranean diet, which was influenced by the customs of Mediterranean nations like Greece, Spain, and Italy, has been connected to other health advantages aside from weight reduction, such as longer life expectancy, better heart health, and enhanced cognitive performance. It is also less complicated to follow and has fewer rigid guidelines than other well-known diet plans, such as calorie tracking.
While there are theoretically no foods that should be avoided from a diet, certain should be restricted, such as processed meals, red meat, refined carbohydrates, and added sugar. Keeping active, eating with loved ones, and occasionally sipping red wine are all common additions to a diet.
Dietary Volumetrics
In order to reduce calories and increase sensations of fullness, the volumetrics diet promotes the consumption of low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables. The diet, which is described in a book by nutrition scientist Barbara Rolls, gives recommendations on what foods to include in a balanced meal and groups foods according to their calorie density.
The main benefit of a volume-based strategy, according to registered dietitian Jaclyn London of New York, is that it gives you the impression that you can eat a lot without having to think about “restriction” all the time.
London adds that the volumetrics diet is simple to customize to your requirements and tastes and that there are no dietary restrictions. It might even help you have a better relationship with food. “Volumetrics promotes a change in both what you eat and how you think about what you eat by emphasizing plants,” the author states.
Foods having a lower energy density helped women who are overweight or obese regulate their appetite, reduce cravings, and feel fuller longer, all of which may help them lose weight, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition.
DASH Nutrition Plan
The original goal of the DASH Diet, sometimes called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet, was to lower blood pressure and improve heart health. Nonetheless, the diet “can be both an overall healthier style of eating and smart approach to weight loss,” according to London.
According to the plan, you should load your plate with whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, chicken, and low-fat dairy products in addition to an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Red meat and full-fat dairy products are among the items that should be avoided because they are rich in added sugar or saturated fat. The plan also suggests reducing sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day. There are recommendations for how many servings of each food type you should have each day in the DASH Diet.
The DASH Diet promotes a lot of low-calorie foods that are high in protein and fiber, two essential elements that can help with weight loss. Furthermore, eating too much of certain meals, such as those heavy in added sugar, has been connected to weight gain and obesity.
“This plan—and really, any great diet—lays a lot of emphasis on telling you what to eat, without overemphasizing a crucial nutritional component,” London says. London points out that the diet includes several essential elements to maintain heart health, such as omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and magnesium, in addition to aiding in weight loss.
Women's Workout Plans for Losing Weight
Maintaining an active lifestyle is another essential element in weight loss, in addition to dietary modifications. These exercises can assist you in achieving your objectives.
Circuit Instruction
“I recommend circuit training for women who want to lose weight,” says Jack City Fitness CEO and personal trainer Marshall Weber of Boise. To target different muscle groups, this sort of exercise consists of cycling through eight to ten movements that last 30 to 60 seconds each.
According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, circuit training can aid in weight loss by increasing your caloric burn in a shorter period of time. This is because you are burning more calories overall during your training session because you are not resting as much between each activity.
According to Weber, “gyms like Orange Theory Fitness have made circuit training popular.” He adds that it might be a useful strategy for gaining muscle without significantly increasing muscular size while losing fat.
Interactive Instruction
Dynamic training is suggested if you’re not sure where to begin when it comes to exercising by Jill Charton, creator of iFour.life and a personal trainer located in Atlanta.
“‘Dynamic’ is a term that’s frequently used in conjunction with stretching or strength training, but it really describes a class of exercises that target ranges of motion that engage more muscle groups so that you can produce power and stabilize.” says Charton. Goblet squats, walking quad stretches, kettlebell swings, and rotational lunges are a few examples.
According to Charton, this kind of training is very beneficial for weight loss because it works several muscle groups during each exercise, enabling you to increase your body’s overall strength and muscular mass. She adds that as this kind of exercise can be included into many different schedules and routines, it can be simpler to maintain over the long term in order to get the best outcomes.
“I adore dynamic training because it empowers my clients by teaching them more about how to move their bodies,” Charton adds. “It also helps my clients gain strength, speed, agility, coordination, stability, and confidence while learning how to work out more efficiently.”
Weightlifting
Resistance training, also referred to as weight training, uses weights or other exercise equipment to build strength and endurance. Bodyweight movements like push-ups and squats can be used to achieve this goal. “I’ve worked with women for eight years, and the most effective exercise regimens I’ve seen involve weight lifting three to four days a week,” adds Thomas.
Because muscle burns more calories than fat, building muscle may help with weight loss and metabolism. It’s interesting to note that one review found no difference in resting metabolic rate—the amount of calories burned at rest—between resistance and aerobic exercise.
“Traditional, easy exercises are the most effective. Exercises don’t have to be elaborate or involve a lot of specialized gear. According to Thomas, ladies will gain from doing traditional weightlifting workouts since they will develop muscle, which can help lower body fat.