Slim Down for Summer: Here Are Some Weight Loss Tips

Whether you want to feel more confident in a swimsuit or look your best at a summertime wedding, weight loss-friendly lifestyle changes may help you get there. 

Losing excess weight is linked with everything from improved heart health to a lower risk for diabetes and chronic pain. Weight loss may also boost your confidence — if you go about it in a healthy way and feel supported. Motivations to do so often rise along with warmer temperatures, and our team is here to help.

At Jeffery Tun, MD, with offices in Midtown East, Forest Hills, and the Queens neighborhoods in New York City, our experts provide weight loss support to help you reach a healthy range. 

If you’re hoping to shed excess pounds before summer arrives, consider the following smart steps.

Find tasty ways to eat nutritious food

If you feel deprived of delicious food as you attempt to lose weight, it may be much harder to stick to your plan. Rather than focus on restriction, replace sugary and fatty foods with nutrient-dense, filling alternatives — such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These foods contain fiber, which promotes appetite control.

You can also enhance the flavor of healthy dishes, such as grilled chicken breasts and baked sweet potatoes, with natural herbs and spices or a splash of citrus juice. 

Meanwhile, consider flavorful yet healthy substitutions for your favorite rich dishes. Instead of traditional lasagna, for example, try whole-grain or quinoa pasta topped with marinara sauce and grilled veggies. 

Work vegetables or fruits into every meal

In order to lose weight and meet your nutrient needs, experts generally recommend eating at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits each day. Because these foods contain not only fiber, but high amounts of water, you’ll get fuller from fewer overall calories.

One way to meet your veggie needs is the “plate method,” where you fill half of each dinner plate (or bowl) with vegetables or fruit. Then you split the remaining two quarters between a starchy carb and a lean protein. Such a plate might contain, for instance, 1-2 cups of steamed or sauteed broccoli, a whole-grain roll, and 3-4 ounces of grilled salmon.

Get moving

It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to lose weight and keep it off without physical activity. Exercise not only burns calories, preventing storage as fat, but boosts your metabolism.

To lose weight, gradually increase your exercise until you reach 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity — such as biking, walking, or dancing — per week. Or, if you exercise at an intense level, aim for 75 minutes per week. 

If you’re just starting out, consider breaking your exercise up into small chunks. Go for a 10-minute, brisk walk in the morning, for example, then actively clean your floors or tend to your garden for 10-20 minutes later. 

Seek professional support

Weight loss is often quite difficult, for understandable reasons. From genetic factors and health conditions that stand in the way to needing to unlearn years of poor habits, going it alone can be daunting. Especially if you have quite a few pounds to lose, professional support is important for short-term success and lasting results.

In addition to general guidance and checking for underlying health conditions that may be fueling your weight difficulties, our team can determine if you’re a candidate for Qsymia™. This prescription medication helps curb your hunger pangs so that sticking to your weight loss plan comes easier.

To learn more about weight control or get the support you need, call one of our offices or request an appointment through our website today.