Tips for Losing Weight

Posts Tagged ‘Wellness’

For many people in the western hemisphere, losing weight has become the national pastime! America, for one, is a land of fast food joints and easily accessible good tasting food. It is also becoming a nation of health clubs and joggers, as people try to hang onto their youthful figures. Not only that, but pills and even surgery for weight loss are on the rise, as people fight the battle of the bulge.

Thankfully, there are non-surgical, natural ways to push your body to lose weight. To say it’s easy, however, would be misleading! Losing weight requires a great deal of dedication and perseverance. It must be a lifestyle change, not just a process of following a diet, and the lifestyle changes must be consistent. Read on for some safe, natural ideas for improving your chances at weight loss.

1. Get and wear a pedometer. Many people are having great results simply by wearing a pedometer on their belt all day. A pedometer is a little electronic gadget that keeps track of the number of steps you take each day. You may think you are a fairly active person, but when you clip one of these babies to your waist, you’ll know the truth. It’s considered an active lifestyle if you log more than 10,000 steps per day. Wearing a pedometer will remind you to get those extra steps wherever you can throughout the day, and the results will be cumulative.

2. Eat more soup. You can make a delicious vegetable soup that is filling even though it is low in fat and calories. Stay away from ingredients like cream, starchy vegetables, and fatty meats. Instead, maximize on cabbage, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, carrots, and fat free chicken or vegetable stock. A bowl of this soup can be warmed up in the microwave for a nutrient rich, yummy, lo-cal treat any time of the night or day.

3. Pump iron. Actually the verdict is really out on whether pumping iron is a huge factor in weight loss. The theory goes that since muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you are resting, then building muscle should ultimately make you burn up your extra fat. While the effect seems to be less helpful than once hoped, you will feel better and look better while you work toward losing weight. Lifting weights increases your confidence, too, as you feel yourself becoming stronger. Put on some music you like, or keep a set of dumbbells close to where you watch TV, and pull them out for a few reps every now and then.

4. Try adding green tea to your diet. It sure can’t hurt, and many experts say that it has a beneficial effect on your metabolism.

5. Ahh, salads! Does your whole being cry, “Yuck,” when you face yet another bland, lifeless bowl of lettuce? Here are a couple of ideas for making salad more desirable. If the cold vegetables hurt your teeth, consider zapping the salad in the microwave for 20 or 30 seconds. Hey, there’s no law against it, and it takes off the chill. Also, tear those pieces of lettuce up smaller if you don’t like three inch squares of lettuce spreading salad dressing all over your face while you eat. Finally, to save fat calories, put your lean protein food, such as grilled white chicken chopped small, into the salad to improve the taste. Skip the dressing and use salt and pepper instead.

6. Watch those portion sizes! Measure what you’re eating, and you may be surprised. If you’re reading labels, pay attention to the portion sizes they recommend if you want to be taking in the amount of calories you think you are.

7. Believe you can do it. Then get back on track when you falter. Try to be diligent at least 80 percent of the time, and you are likely to increase your health and fitness, while decreasing your weight.

Without a doubt, dieting and losing weight can be among the toughest things to do in life. If you have been trying to lose weight and are having a difficult time with it, try some of these simple weight loss tips.

1. Make a Diet Journal – Write down everything you eat throughout the day no matter how small it is. This will help you stay on your diet in the long run. You can also use your journal to track your weight loss, your feelings and so much more. You can really get creative here. The main point is to write it down. It will keep you involved and motivated.

2. Drink More Water – I know this diet tips is so basic, but it is because it flat out works. 6-8 glasses of water every day may sound like a lot, but spread out over the course of the day it isn’t. Drinking water before meals will also make you seem fuller and prevent you from overeating.

3. Don’t Weight Yourself Every Day – Your weight naturally fluctuates day-to-day. Weighting yourself daily can lead to frustration and giving up on days you see no success. Instead, weigh yourself once a week at the same time, like Monday at 7:00am for example.

4. Have A Goal – Set a goal for yourself of where you ultimately want to be at. Now, break the goal down into reasonably obtainable chunks. For example, your goal is to lose 25 pounds in the next 3 months. Break that down into 5 pounds every 2-3 weeks. This makes it much easier to stay on your diet and achieve success when you work with smaller numbers.

5. Never Grocery Shop When Hungry – One of the biggest no-no’s there is. You’ll only find yourself getting all sorts of foods you know you shouldn’t be eating. We’ve all been guilty of it before, but be sure you grocery shop after you eat.

6. Close The Kitchen – Late evening eating or snacking is a huge cause of weight gain. You eat, go to bed, and the food just sits in yours stomach and turns to fat. Set a time that the kitchen is closed and then stick to it. This tip helped me to lose 5 pounds in 10 days just on its own.

7. Eat At The Table – Always eat at the dining room or kitchen table. Avoid eating in front of the TV at all costs. You get lost watching a show and you just keep eating and eating.

These are just a few simple tips to help you lose weight fast and achieve success with your diet plan. They have certainly helped me achieve results, which I show you on my blog. Put them into practice and I know they will help you too.