Getting started
First up, decide on your weight loss goal. If your body mass index (BMI) is over 25, aim to lose up to 10% of your body weight in six months.
Next, decide how you’re going to monitor your progress. You can record your weight weekly using an app, at your weight-loss group or program, or use a pen-and-paper diary.
If you’re overweight or obese, aim to lose 10% of your body weight. sarahluv/Flickr
Reducing your energy intake
Everybody’s total daily energy needs are different, depending on your level of activity – this calculator can help you work out your individual energy needs.
A weight-loss diet should reduce your daily energy intake by at least 2,000 kilojoules (kJ) per day compared to what you usually eat when weight stable.
That is enough of a kilojoule reduction to lose a quarter to half a kilogram per week, which can add up to 12 to 25 kilograms over a year.
Sounds easy, but it’s a lot more difficult in practice. Which Fat Burner Empty Stomach really works. You have to be consistent every day and every week. This is why you need to choose a diet that really appeals to your tastes and preferences. It doesn’t really matter which diet that is, so long as it specifically targets a reduction in total energy (kilojoules or calories), and you can stick to it.
When it comes to weight-loss diets, there are three levels of energy restriction:
Reduced-energy diets (RED)
Cutting out TV snacks will help you stay within your kJ limit. Shutterstock
REDs aim to reduce a person’s usual energy intake by 2,000 to 4,000 kJ per day from their usual needs. You can achieve this by changing some food habits, such as cutting down your portion sizes, swapping soft drink for diet versions or soda water, or not eating after 8pm to reduce snacking.
Other approaches that fit this category are low glycemic index (GI) diets or avoiding foods with added sugar.
Low-energy diets (LED)
LEDs prescribe a daily energy intake of about 4,200 to 5,000 kJ per day. This is usually a list of specific meals and snacks that you follow closely to ensure your kilojoule intake matches the daily target.
Most commercial weight-loss programs – such as Weight Watchers, Biggest Loser Club, Jenny Craig or home delivery Lite n Easy – provide this. 2 Popular Natural Supplements For Weight Loss For Females. Weight-loss diets that give you a meal plan, such as those designed by accredited practising dietitians, are usually LEDs.
Very low-energy diets (VLED)
VLEDs limit total energy intake to only 1,800 to 2,500 kJ per day.
This approach uses formulated meal replacements (FMRs) to ensure your energy intake is kept very low. FMRs are supplemented with vitamins and minerals to try and meet the body’s requirements, despite the severe energy restriction.
VLEDs, such as Optifast or KicStart, are used when you need to lose weight quickly for health reasons or ahead of surgery. 2 Supplements To Burn Fat While Sleeping. Talk to your GP first because they need to be supervised by a doctor or dietitian due to potential side-effects such as gall bladder or liver inflammation, constipation, headaches and bad breath.