Losing weight doesn't have to turn into a nightmare. In fact, the easiest way to lose weight is to make a few small changes here and there rather than completely overhauling your life in a day and then realizing you can't live with the changes. When it comes to weight loss secrets, the key is to find what works for you and your current lifestyle. Try a couple of changes per week until they become part of your life.
Cut Calories Where You Can
Rather than depriving yourself of everything you love and then overeating when you can't stand it anymore, find ways to switch to foods that are lower in calories, fat and sugars. According to Health.com, you can easily cut calories with just a few small tweaks. For example, order a salad first when you get to a restaurant. This will fill you up so you're less likely to eat the whole plate when the main dish arrives. Also, order an appetizer or an entrée instead of a main dish whenever possible, as the portions are usually large enough to satisfy anybody. Switch to low-fat dairy and drink sugar-free drinks only.
Sleep More
According to Health.com, lack of sleep can increase the production of cortisol. This causes stress and increases appetite and cravings. Lack of sleep can also make you more tired and sluggish, so you will have less energy to exercise.
Get Support
The Diet Channel suggests joining a weight loss group to help you in your journey. Receiving peer encouragement and having somebody along for the ride can be key to not only losing weight but also keeping it off. Face-to-face meetings from Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous or Jenny Craig can be found in most large cities, or you can search online for a support group if you prefer anonymity or if nothing is available in the area where you live.
Keep Moving
Thin people are always on the move, according to an article on Reader's Digest. While regular exercise is essential for weight loss, you shouldn't stop moving once you leave the gym. In fact, opportunities to burn out calories and tone your body are everywhere. For example, pace around while talking on the phone, balance on one leg while doing the dishes or do squats while you brush your teeth. Bike or walk whenever possible and use your lunch break to go for a walk rather than surfing the Internet at work.
Keep a Food Diary
Knowing what you're eating, when and why can be key to weight loss. This is especially important if you're an emotional eater and tend to overeat or indulge in high-fat, high-sugar foods when you're stressed, sad or battling anxiety. Keep a journal for about two weeks for best results and see if you can identify common things that cause you to overeat, such as work deadlines, problems with your spouse or unresolved feelings.
Take It Slowly
Losing your weight in stages makes the whole process a lot less daunting, according to an article in Good Housekeeping magazine. For example, lose a few pounds or 10% of your goal, and then focus on maintaining the loss for at least a few weeks before you start losing again. This will give you a good sense of what you need to do to keep the weight off, and it will make the whole process a lot less stressful. It's also a good method for people who tend to gain the weight back once they go off a diet.
Forget Weight Loss
One of the best things you can do to lose weight is to forget you're trying. Instead, focus on becoming healthier by dropping extra pounds, improving your cardiovascular fitness and lowering body fat. Don't think of foods as fattening or not, but instead think of their nutritional content and whether they will make you feel stronger and healthier. You will lose weight anyway with this approach, but since the focus is on feeling better, it won't be such a stressful process.
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