Fad diets often involve a lot of work to follow the program precisely. A complicated weight loss plan is more likely to get abandoned. Simple everyday changes to your routine help you lose weight while establishing long-term lifestyle changes to improve your health. Balance a healthy diet and exercise in a format that fits with your lifestyle for the best effect.
Make Substitutions
Small substitutions in your diet reduce the amount of fat and calories you consume to help your weight loss. Many food items have light, low-calorie or low-fat versions that taste similar to the original. Dairy products, salad dressing, soda, crackers and juice items routinely have lighter versions available. Lower fat versions of some food items can affect recipes, so test it out the first time.
Portion Control
Controlling portions presents a challenge for many people. Portion sizes continue to climb, particularly at restaurants. When dining out, ask for a take-home box when the meal arrives. Divide the meal in half and place one portion in the box so you won't eat it. At home, measure your portions if you're unsure of how much you should eat. Cut back on the extras that add fat and calories to the meal. Add a small sprinkling of cheese to the dish instead of an entire handful. Use one small scoop of ice cream with several scoops of fresh berries. You still get the splurge, but in much smaller portions.
Start Healthy
Start your day with a hearty, healthy breakfast to enjoy many health benefits through the day. A healthy breakfast makes you more likely to continue making healthy diet choices throughout the day. According to the Mayo Clinic, you are more likely to consume less fat and cholesterol while eating more minerals and vitamins. Breakfast eaters are also better able to control weight and cholesterol. Healthy options to include with breakfast are whole grains, fruit, lean protein and low fat dairy products.
Pedometer
Wearing a pedometer makes you more aware of the exercise you get during the course of the day. It may naturally encourage you to take more steps so you can see the number increasing. Once you get a baseline of how many steps you take in a day, aim to add an extra 100 steps a day. You can add more steps by parking at the end of the parking lot, taking the stairs or walking around the block during your lunch break. Continue adding more steps to your day as you build your stamina.
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