Losing weight is hard, and once you've decided you want to lose it, you want to lose it as fast as you can. There is no secret pill or magic advice to help you lose weight overnight, but there are many small diet and exercise changes you can make to support your weight loss goal and look better faster. Having 10 super tips in your weight loss arsenal will help you stay motivated and avoid setbacks.
You Bite it, You Write it
Keep a food journal. Write everything down that you eat. This will help increase your awareness of where you can cut back, and you might also think twice about that fourth cookie if you have to write it down. Be accountable to yourself.
Start Each Day Right
Eat breakfast every day. Even if you're not hungry, eating within an hour of waking will jump-start your metabolism and start the calories burning. Breakfast give you energy for the rest of the day, according to the The American Dietetics Association's Eat Right Tips site.
End Each Day Before 7
Do not eat after 7 p.m. If you are like most people, the food you choose after dinner and until you go to bed consists of empty calories. Avoid the ice cream, cookies or bowl of cereal after dinner and cut as many as 400 calories a day.
Small, Frequent Meals
You've heard it recommended before: By dividing your calories into three moderate-size meals and two small snacks, you will stay full and continue to fuel your metabolism. Fitness Magazine online has some great options for healthy snacks, such as lowfat yogurt and whole grains.
Know How Much to Eat
Calculate how many calories you need to eat each day. Use an online calculator like the one on the American Council on Exercise Fit Facts site to determine how many calories you need each day. This will help you know how much to budget for each meal and snack.
Burn it up
Add exercise to your agenda each day. Cardiovascular activities like running, swimming or going to a fitness class are great ways to burn additional calories so that you lose more weight. Moderate-intensity exercise for just 30 minutes can burn as many as 300 calories.
Mindless Movement
The more you move the more calories you burn. Take the stairs, walk the dog, park in the farthest spot or walk in as opposed to using the drive-through. Any time you choose to move in place of sitting you will burn calories and tip the scale in your favor.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Consume more water than you think you need. Water works to support your weight loss by helping you feel full. It also replenishes fluids lost when you exercise. By replenishing your fluids you are more recovered to work out hard again the next time.
Intensity Matters
Short bouts of high-intensity exercise can burn excess calories. Losing weight means you have to burn more calories than you take in. Change your leisure walks to power-interval runs and burn the same amount of calories in half the time.
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