How to reduce weight

Nutrition and exercise are both important when trying to lose weight. All the exercise in the world won’t help you shed pounds if your nutrition is out of whack. But research shows exercise has major benefits for your body and mind,whether you’re trying to lose weight or not. Your metabolism -- how well your body turns calories into fuel -- matters. And if you cut too many calories, it’s bad for you. You slow down your metabolism, and that can make you fall short on some nutrients.

There are many ways you can do this without cutting calories too much. You could:

Cut back on portions.
Figure out how many calories you get in a usual day, and trim back a bit.
Read food labels to know how many calories are in each serving.
Drink more water, so you’re not so hungry.
Whatever method you use, you’ll need to favor good-for-you foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein so you keep up good nutrition. But there's no one-size-fits all plan for healthy eating. Working with a dietitian is a good idea, so you make a plan that covers your specific needs. And when you make a healthy weight loss plan, it's important to stick with it. To get healthy and stay that way, the trend has to continue -- not just for a week or a month, but for the long term.
At the most basic level, food is fuel. It gives you energy to do things. But very few people eat just for that reason. It’s at every social gathering. And it’s where a lot of us turn when we have a rough day.
The first step is finding out what your triggers are. Is it stress, anger, anxiety, or depression in a certain part of your life? Or is food your main reward when something good happens?

Next, try to notice when those feelings come up, and have a plan ready to do something else instead of eating. Could you take a walk? Text a friend?

Lastly, reward yourself for making a different choice. Just don’t use food as the reward.
Limit foods with added sugars. These are the sugars in cookies, cakes, sugar-sweetened drinks, and other items -- not the sugars that are naturally in fruits, for instance. Sugary foods often have a lot of calories but few nutrients. Aim to spend less than 10% of your daily calories on added sugars.
Be choosy about carbs. You can decide which ones you eat and how much. Look for those that are low on the glycemic index (for instance, asparagus is lower on the glycemic index than a potato) or lower in carbs per serving than others. Whole grains are better choices than processed items because processing removes key nutrients such as fiber, iron, and B vitamins. They may be added back, such as in “enriched” bread.

Include protein. It’s satisfying and will help keep up your muscles. There are vegetarian and vegan sources (nuts, beans, and soy are a few), as well as lean meat, poultry, fish, and dairy.
Most Americans get enough protein but could choose to get it from leaner sources, so you may already have plenty in your diet. Your exact protein needs depend on your age, gender, and how active you are.

Make friends with good fats. Small amounts of fat can help you feel full and less like you’re on a diet. The better choices are those in fish, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. Those have unsaturated fats -- polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, specifically.