How to Lose Weight With the DASH Diet
Keep a food diary., Calculate your calorie needs., Transition to the DASH diet gradually., Consult the NIH guide to the DASH diet.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep a food diary.
In it, record your current daily eating habits.
Write down what you eat for every meal of the day, and take note if you skip a meal.
If you regularly skip breakfast, jot this down as well.
Also write down any snacks you eat, even if you do this mindlessly
- say, while watching TV.
This diary will allow you to see where you stand right now in terms of eating practices and where you can start to make changes., You can do this by determining your physical activity level.
If your plan is to lose weight, you will need to eat fewer calories than you burn or burn more calories than you eat by staying physically active.
Visit the NIH DASH Eating Plan website at for a helpful chart to help determine your daily calorie needs.
For example, a 35 year old male with a moderate activity level will need between 2,400-2,600 calories per day, whereas a 55 year old woman with a sedentary lifestyle will need about 1,600 calories daily., Changing too much at once can be destabilizing and can make you crave your old diet, leading to rebounds.
Slow changes, on the other hand, will be barely noticeable, so pace yourself as you adapt your diet and you won’t even notice a thing
- you’ll just reap the healthy benefits., Do this prior to starting on the diet so that you know what to expect and can prepare your meals accordingly.
The Description of the DASH Eating Plan on the NIH website provides a sample servings guide that you could follow. -
Step 2: Calculate your calorie needs.
-
Step 3: Transition to the DASH diet gradually.
-
Step 4: Consult the NIH guide to the DASH diet.
Detailed Guide
In it, record your current daily eating habits.
Write down what you eat for every meal of the day, and take note if you skip a meal.
If you regularly skip breakfast, jot this down as well.
Also write down any snacks you eat, even if you do this mindlessly
- say, while watching TV.
This diary will allow you to see where you stand right now in terms of eating practices and where you can start to make changes., You can do this by determining your physical activity level.
If your plan is to lose weight, you will need to eat fewer calories than you burn or burn more calories than you eat by staying physically active.
Visit the NIH DASH Eating Plan website at for a helpful chart to help determine your daily calorie needs.
For example, a 35 year old male with a moderate activity level will need between 2,400-2,600 calories per day, whereas a 55 year old woman with a sedentary lifestyle will need about 1,600 calories daily., Changing too much at once can be destabilizing and can make you crave your old diet, leading to rebounds.
Slow changes, on the other hand, will be barely noticeable, so pace yourself as you adapt your diet and you won’t even notice a thing
- you’ll just reap the healthy benefits., Do this prior to starting on the diet so that you know what to expect and can prepare your meals accordingly.
The Description of the DASH Eating Plan on the NIH website provides a sample servings guide that you could follow.
About the Author
James Jenkins
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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