Diet and Exercise Program
Continuation
9 Limit your sodium intake to no more than 2,400 milligrams per day. This is equivalent to the amount of sodium in a little more than a teaspoon of salt. Cut back on your use of salt in cooking and on the table; avoid salty foods; check food labels for the inclusion of ingredients containing sodium.
10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can't get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.
11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements (with the exceptions listed below). Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.
12 Consider taking supplements of the antioxidant vitamins E (200 to 800 IU daily) and C (250 to 500 milligrams daily). Even if you eat a healthy diet, it's unlikely you will get these amounts of E and C. Also consider taking a basic daily multivitamin/mineral supplement, especially if you are a woman of child-bearing age (who needs extra folic acid, a B vitamin) or over age 60 (because of decreased nutrient absorption by the body).
13 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Eating a low-fat diet will help you maintain or lower your weight, as will regular exercise.
14 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.
If you are serious about your weight loss program, exercise is the key. But how do we get motivated to make such a big change in our life? We'll talk about motivating benefits, how much exercise it takes, types of exercise and exercising with health conditions.