Weight Loss Tips: Dieting Can Be Easy and Fun
Here are some tips to take you from chubby to smugly slender.
1) Log everything.
Write down what you ate, how much and why. You’ll probably be surprised at how many calories you consume everyday. By charting every bite you can start to notice some patterns. Do you snack more than you dine? Do you find it hard to pass up the drive-thru during your commute? Do you need a mini-meal between lunch and dinner?
2) Replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones.
Once you identify your “hot spots”, you plan for better alternatives. Pack a low-fat, high protein snack to get you through your afternoon at work. Develop tasty menus that have you looking forward to your meals, instead of snacking around them. Take a walk when you feel stressed. Juggle, fold laundry or knit instead of munching when you watch television.
3) Be a good role model to someone.
If you are overweight, odds are at least one of your parents were, too. Commit to breaking the cycle and view your new lifestyle as a way to influence your children, spouse, siblings, or even your parents! So many people are looking for a quick fix to their weight loss woes. Show that small changes and consistent effort reap big rewards.
4) Make health a family effort.
Changing your diet is so much easier if you don’t need to make special meals for yourself. Involve all members of your family in planning and preparing dishes. Invest in some cookbooks with creative and healthy recipes. Try something new each week – a fruit from another country, a fancy dessert or an entire meal. With some experimenting, you can find healthy choices that please everyone. Even small children can grasp the importance of nutrition. Discuss with them the changes you are making and the reasons.
5) Indulge in quality, not in quantity.
Cook really delicious meals instead of just quick ones. Buy better cuts of meat. Shop for fresh vegetables at your local farmer’s market for the best taste. Cut out “cheap” junk foods, and you may be surprised to find your grocery bill shrinking.
6) Make eating an event.
Plate your food to show off the colors and textures. Enjoy your meals with friends, family or even a good book. Savor the moment as much as the taste. Take your time and enjoy the moments between bites as much as the food itself.
7) Reward yourself.
Focus on the journey, not just the destination. Don’t wait until you lose ten pounds to buy yourself a new bottle of perfume. Treat yourself to a long bubble bath for meeting your weekly exercise goals. Make your favorite, healthy meal when you have logged everything for a week.
8) Schedule something to look forward to.
Savor a small scoop of decadent ice cream, a square of rich chocolate or a glass of beautiful wine at the end of the day. Plate it out beautifully and enjoy it by the fire or with your sweetie. With that on the menu, you know you can pass right by the display of cheap candy bars. If you don’t finish your planned exercise or if you “cheat” at lunch, you forfeit your special treat.
9) Beware “deals”.
Poor quality food is often cheap, and it tends to get cheaper the more you buy. Pass on “two for one” offers at the candy bar stand and “up sizing” at the fast food restaurant. You may be getting more food, but at the price of your health, they’re no bargain. If you desperately want a cinnamon roll, walk to bakery and get a real one, fresh from the oven, not a box of cheap, processed, plastic-covered ones.
10) Focus on a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix.
Live well, enjoy good food and exercise – a healthy weight will follow.
