Most weight loss experts agree that the best way to lose weight and to keep it off, is to make permanent lifestyle changes to both diet and exercise habits. In the battle of the bulge, everyone can use some daily tips and helpful reminders. Information about how much water you need to drink to how many calories you need to burn to lose a pound, can arm you with the weapons you need to win the war.
Journal It
One of the most helpful things you can do when you start a diet is to keep a daily journal. Diet experts, including diet veterans like Oprah, agree that keeping a food journal is one of the keys to permanent weight loss success. In your journal, record everything. Keep a daily log of your caloric intake, as well as the amount of time spent exercising and your feelings and emotions during the day. Understanding your emotional state before you mindlessly nosh can help you end some of your negative habits. In addition, if you keep a daily log of your calories, you can keep track of how much you are taking in so you can set daily calorie goals.
Water Down Your Appetite
You probably have heard that you need to be drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Not only is water essential for life, but it can be one of your best weight loss allies. Many times when we stand in front of the pantry with a blank stare wondering what we want to eat, we are actually just thirsty. Drink an eight ounce glass of water instead of reaching for the cookies and you might find that you weren't hungry at all. Drinking a full glass of water before a meal can also help fill up the stomach making it more difficult to overeat.
Never Skip Breakfast
You need to begin everyday with a hearty breakfast to get your internal engine started and to jump start your metabolism. A study conducted by the National Weight Control Registry showed that eating breakfast keeps people slimmer. The research revealed that people who had maintained a 30 pound weight loss for over a year regularly ate breakfast.
If you skip breakfast, you will be more likely to overeat during your mid-day meal because of letting yourself get too hungry. As to what you should eat for breakfast, research findings presented at the American Heart Association's 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention showed that eating whole-grain breakfast cereals seven or more times per week was associated with a lower risk of heart failure. A high-fiber, whole-grain cereal may also lower bad cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.
Move More
Cutting your daily intake of food by 500 calories will help you lose about one pound in a week. If you want to double the rate of weight loss, get active. Adding a brisk 45 to 60 minute walk four times a week can help you lose up to two pounds per week, which falls under the guidelines of recommended sustainable weight loss. If walking isn't your thing, you may want to look into aerobic dance classes or aqua aerobics. Get creative when it comes to exercise and find the workout that you know you can stick with.
Member Comments
haibop May 9
Alison, I really like your idea to promote a healthy and long term weight loss strategy. Eating breakfast and losing only 500 calories is definitely do able. More importantly, people will feel more energetic, they skin and hair will look a lot better. Plus they will NOT eat like a pig and get all weight back like in a starting diet :) Thanks so much for your valuable information definitely I will share you post with my readers. Lose Thigh Fat