Want to look fit and trim for next summer’s season or for that wedding? Here are some healthy, handy tips on how to lose weight.
1. Never skip any meals, particularly breakfast. The first meal of the day triggers your metabolism to start the fat burning process.
2. Six mini meals throughout your day helps keep your metabolism from slowing down.
3. Fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, helps fill you up and aids digestion.
4. Learn to eat slowly, even if others around you are fast eaters. It takes a full twenty minutes before your brain receives the signal from your stomach that you’re full.
5. Be sure to keep a food diary. This really helps you adhere to your eating plan. Just knowing that you have to record that piece of chocolate cake in your diary may help prevent you from eating it or at least to eat only half! Nutridiary has an excellent Free food and exercise log.
6. Get into some form-fitting workout clothes for your “before” photo. Take a photo from the front, side and back. A few successful months later, wearing the same clothing, take the same pictures – you’ll be pleased when you see the results and this will also motivate you to continue.
7. Drinking a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day helps your metabolism burn fat.
8. Hot and spicy foods have also been shown to “rev up” your metabolism.
9. When invited to a friend’s house for a meal, always mention your special diet so as not to offend anyone when you show up with some of your own food.
10. When dining out, order a salad to eat before your meal. This will fill you up so you’ll eat less of the main meal. But be sure to ask for a low calorie salad dressing and ask for it “on the side” so you can regulate how much dressing to add to your salad. If they do not have anything low calorie, ask for oil and vinegar, again on the side. Be careful with the oil – use a teaspoon or tablespoon to measure it onto your salad.
11. Increase your activity – do activities you enjoy to prevent boredom.
12. Make a list of reasons why you want to lose weight and refer to it often. Tape it up on the fridge to remind you!
13. Pre-package weighed or measured snacks.
14. Going away? Bring your “before” photos with you. Keep them in an easily viewed spot to help motivate you to not lose touch with your eating plan during your vacation.
15. Calculate your BMI or body mass index which measures the proportion of fat in your body. Check your results to see the proper BMI for your health. Use this handy Body Mass Index Chart [http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm] to find out if you’re carrying around too much fat in relation to your body weight. The fat is measured using the BMI or Body Mass Index.
16. Just because it claims to be low fat or fat free, that doesn’t mean calorie free! Check those labels!
17. Weigh yourself in the morning unclothed, only once a week. Track your progress in your diet log (see #15 above).
18. Eat your meals on a smaller plate to fool your subconscious!
19. Drink plenty of water while eating to fill you up and help with digestion.
20. Keep your before photo on your fridge.
21. Set several mini goals for yourself. Be sure to write them down and keep them handy. Reward yourself with a non-food reward at the end of successful completion of each goal.
22. Get lots of rest. Being tired lowers your resistance.
23. When eating out, cut your meal in half and pour a lot of salt onto this portion to discourage you from finishing off your plate, or ask that it be packaged right away for you in a doggy bag to be taken home after your meal.
24. In the mood for dessert? Try low fat graham crackers. They are whole grain and a couple of them with a hot mug of tea will help curb your craving for sweets.
Want more of Heather Diodati’s articles and how-to’s? Visit http://www.whimsies-online.com/freecontent.htm. By the way, you are free to use these articles on your websites and ezines provided you include the author’s bylines. A courtesy copy or an email mentioning where the article was published would be much appreciated!
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