Ok, take a deep breath. Weight loss and dieting is not the enigma the media makes it out to be. With all the fad diets and health crazes out there it seems like we are getting new information all the time about quick and easy weight loss. Unfortunately there is no magic bullet. The basic tenets of eating less and move more still apply. However a complete overhaul right away is a sure step to failure. We humans only have a finite amount of willpower, and if you're anything like me you have less than the average joe. So if this sounds like you than slowly implementing small changes is the best way for success in losing weight. Here are some tips that helped me to lose 40 pounds and will help you if you stick to them.
1. The first step is an awareness of what you eat. I know that when I was at my heaviest I couldn't for the life of me figure out how I got there. I never ate fast food, always ate my vegetables and loved salads. I didn't have a sweet tooth either. It was only when I actually took the time to write down what I ate in a week that I got to see where I was going wrong. This differs for everyone so journaling, even if for only one week, can be extremely useful.
2. Buy a food scale: food scales are fairly inexpensive and will teach you a lot about proper portions. If you are like me, you just don't have it in you to count calories all day long, but you don't need to. What you do need is an understanding about what a normal portion should look like. Think of it this way. If you are eating a healthy, well-balanced meal but it is twice the size of a normal portion you aren't going to lose weight.
3. Fiber fiber fiber! If you plan to eat something with high fat content eat something with high fiber content too. Fiber keeps you full longer and also prevents some of the fat from being absorbed. Examples of high fiber food are whole grains. You can switch from white bread, pasta, and rice to all whole grain versions and scarcely notice a difference. This is one of the best and easiest changes to make.
4. Don't keep a scale in your house. This suggestion may seem counterintuitive for someone who is watching their weight, but so many factors such as water weight, your clothes, and what you've eaten that day can
affect the reading on the scale and send you into a backslide. I suggest finding a reliable scale at a drug or grocery store and weighing yourself once a week. It is enough to keep you motivated but prevent you from obsessing. And remember to weigh yourself at the same time every day (morning is best).
5. Give yourself a break: don't tell yourself that if you want to lose weight you can never indulge in a cupcake or piece of pizza again. Just pick a day that you can let lose a little each week. Complete deprivation never kept anyone motivated very long.
6. Don't just rely on the number on the scale. I took weekly pictures of myself as well as measurements. Sometimes you lose inches but not weight, sometimes you can't notice it on yourself but can in pictures. Trust me, seeing the progress is the key to maintaining your motivation.
7. Double up on the veg: Try eating a salad before dinner to help stave off the urge to devour everything on your plate and go back for seconds, Or take a double portion of broccoli or whatever vegetable you are having. Once you start to feel satisfied you won't care about having that second piece of chicken.
8. Keep an eye on the snacking - This doesn't mean never have a snack but it does mean don't sit in front of the TV with a bag of chips not even being aware of how much you are eating. If you must have chips, take the correct portion out and put it on a plate. Don't overeat just because you aren't paying attention, it's the quickest way to sabotaging your weight loss.
9. If you gain weight or have an off day don't give up! All of us slip up at times and our weight fluctuates at times. Don't tell yourself that this means you have failed. Use the setback as motivation to do better next week!
10. Use food substitutions: They are an excellent tool to make healthy food taste like the stuff that helped you pack on the pounds
11.Challenge yourself! Tell yourself that you are going to learn how to make healthy food taste good. Be creative. And if it sounds like a dull and bland recipe don't make it just because it's healthy. There are plenty of recipes that are healthy and delicious too. Once you discover how easy eating right can be you will never go back.
Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below. I'm always happy to help!
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment