Everyone has a desire to shed their weight as quickly as possible. I wish I had a magic wand to wave at every obese person out there and their excess fat would be gone forever. This is simply not the case. Here are some easy-to-follow weight loss tips to help you slowly and methodically reach your goal. I hope you enjoy reading these 9 weight loss tips.
Weight Loss Tips #1: Want it!
In order to be successful at losing weight, you have to want to lose weight. You need to commit to that desire, not just say you want to lose the weight. The best way to commit to losing weight is to set a goal, write it down, and then stick to it.
A goal doesn’t have to be just the weight you want to lose or want to lose. You can write down a goal based on your body measurements or percentage of body lost quickly, or it can be your desired dress size. Set your goals so that they are achievable. For example, I want to lose 30 pounds by Christmas, or I want to lose two dress sizes by my sister’s wedding.
Once you’ve set your larger goals, you need to set smaller goals to ensure you’re meeting your long-term goal on schedule. Keep track of your goals by using a weight loss chart, food journal, or exercise chart. Keeping a journal is the best way to track the foods you eat, the amount of water you consume, the amount of daily exercise, and write down those goals on a daily basis. You can even track how you’re feeling throughout the day. This will help you know whether or not you are eating based on a certain mood. Keeping a journal is a great way to promote your weight loss.
Weight loss tip #2: Keep it in the kitchen
One of the worst human habits is not eating at the kitchen table. They either stand to eat and do other things or they sit in front of the television. Experts say that people who eat while watching TV tend to eat larger portions. Our focus is what we see, not what we eat.
We need to get out of our family rooms and back to the kitchen. During this time, eat slowly and spend some quality time with your family. Talk to the spouse and children. Watch what you eat and how much you eat. Eating more slowly will give your stomach the time it needs to let you know you’re full and you won’t overeat and feel miserable.
Weight loss tip no. 3: Throw away temptation
Staying true to your weight loss plan requires removing all temptation from your closets, freezer and vehicle. Replace sweets and fatty foods with the right foods. Sugar-free gelatin and puddings are a wonderful way to indulge in just the right amount of sweet tooth without adding a ton of calories. Low-fat or low-fat flavored popcorn is another wonderful substitute for greasy snacks.
Try not to eat unhealthy snacks for a few weeks. Keep a bag of crunchy veggies like carrots handy to quell hunger pangs. Most crunchy vegetables tend to fill you up and have fewer calories.
Weight loss tip #4: find support
Losing weight alone is a challenge, but with a partner it will seem a lot easier. Look for a weight loss support group online or on a forum. Facebook even has support groups. If you prefer not to have anyone online, start your own support group in your home or someone else’s home. Otherwise, all weight loss companies offer a support group or sometimes a small one-on-one consultation.
Your support groups can include family, friends, coworkers, or even your neighbors. Your group can be as big or as small as you like. Ask everyone you know to give you some encouragement in your weight loss efforts.
.Weight Loss Tip #5: Stop bad habits
Most learned or old habits are hard to break. It’s time we made a change. We don’t have to eat everything that’s on our plate. Most grew up knowing that because there are starving children in Africa, we must eat everything on our plates. It’s okay to leave some food on our plates once in a while.
We need to listen to our bodies and stop eating when we are full. We need to eat smaller portions of our food. We must avoid having seconds. Try eating 6 small meals instead of 3 large ones. Eat breakfast, have a morning snack, have lunch, have an afternoon snack, have dinner, have an evening snack.
If you are eating in a restaurant, either order from the children’s menu or when ordering ask for the waitress to bring you a to-go box. When the food arrives, put half or more of the groceries in the to-go box.
Weight loss tip #6: add diversity
You need a little variety in your life. This also applies to food. You’ll get bored of eating the same thing week after week. Once that boredom hits, you’ll fall back into your old ways. Eat some of each of the major food groups, including fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy, whole grains, and fats.
To stay energized, eat five to six small meals a day. This also helps your metabolism. Eat protein with most meals, including eggs, beans, lean meats, and fish. We must try to eat at least five servings and up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. As you watch your sugar, also watch the amount of fruit you consume. You really need to eat more vegetables than fruit. Also, you need to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Don’t just eat the same foods every day. Remember that variety is key.
The bread, pasta, and cereal you eat must be whole grains. If you’ve never had whole wheat pasta before, mix it up with regular pasta and gradually add more whole wheat pasta until you get used to it. This is especially true for bread if you bake it yourself. The complex carbohydrates and high fiber content in whole grain breads and pastas help speed up your metabolism. The dairy products you eat should be low-fat or fat-free.
Also, make sure you’re eating good fats like olive or safflower oil. Your body needs a certain amount of the good fats. Make sure you read your labels and stay away from foods that contain trans fats. Trans fats are extremely bad for you.
Weight loss tip #7: Satisfy the sweet tooth
On your weight loss journey, there will be times when you will crave something sweet. If you want it, then take a little piece of what you long for. It’s better to have a small piece than to ignore your cravings and then eat because you’ve deprived yourself of it for so long. However, don’t make it a habit to eat this way every day. It’s okay to give in to cravings from time to time, but not on a daily basis.
Weight Loss Tip #8: Watch what you drink
The first choice for drinking is, of course, chlorine-free water. You need at least six glasses of good water. You can also drink green tea. Consuming green tea can help with weight loss.
Many people don’t track or think about the amount of calories in their drinks. A regular flavored coke has over 100 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar. Fruit drinks are also high in sugar and calories. Switch to diet drinks and drink more green tea and water.
Watch your alcohol consumption. Most alcoholic beverages are high in sugar and high in calories. Alcohol turns into fat and sugar in your body. Limit how often you drink. Save it for special occasions and try to consume lower calorie beer or wine.
Weight loss tip #9: To become active
Getting active is an important key to weight loss. We need to move if we want to lose weight and keep it off. However, once you start an exercise program, sometimes you go from couch potato to exercise fanatic. You want to start the exercise program gradually over time.
Just start walking. Hiking requires no special equipment other than a good pair of shoes. Walk at a pace that is good for you and walk for twenty minutes three times a week. Go a little faster over time and add more time. You can add strength training twice a week. Start with something light like two cans of soup, then gradually move up to light hand weights.
Exercising burns excess fat and calories. Strength training helps build lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn due to your higher metabolic rate.
Thanks to Wendi Jonkers