Losing weight does not have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on a nutritionist, a personal trainer or vitamin B12 shots to get off those extra pounds. You can do it yourself by making just a few changes to your daily routine.
Write It Down
Not only should you write down what you eat, you should write down your energy level and any physical activity you perform. Jump on the scale once a week and write down your weight as well. The benefit of this is to be able to compare weight loss from week to week; if you see that you lost two pounds one week and only one pound the other, look to see what you did differently.
No Skipping
Skipping meals will cause the body to go into starvation mode, which decreases metabolism and forces the body to store fat. Try six smaller meals or add snacks during the day to keep you from feeling starved as opposed to three larger meals, which leads to a greater chance of overeating.
Get Out and Get Moving
It is almost impossible to lose weight and keep it off without regular physical activity. Don't have a gym membership? No problem, be creative. If your destination is within two miles, walk or ride a bike. Get outside and hand-wash your car instead of driving through the car wash. Instead of online shopping, head to the mall and burn calories walking around.
Learn to Read Food Labels
Knowing how to read food labels is essential to watching or losing weight. An item may seem harmless until you look at the top of the nutrition facts label to see that what you just ate was three servings, not just the one serving that would not have been so bad. Watch for high calories, fat and sugars.
Load up on Fiber
Fiber makes you feel full sooner and keeps you feeling full longer. This will keep you from overeating and eating unnecessarily. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes and whole grains. The American Dietetic Association recommends a daily intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
Practice Portion Control
Measuring food can be tedious, but if you do it enough, you learn what a serving size looks like, and you will no longer need measuring cups. Try using salad plates instead of the average dinner plate. You will be less inclined to overeat when you use a smaller plate.
Drink More Water
Water is not only required for bodily functions, it is one of the best ways to cut calories when you replace sugary juices and sodas with a glass of water. Do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink water since thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
Set a Goal and Tell Everyone
It is a lot harder to cheat when you know everyone is watching. Tell your spouse or a friend you often dine with about your goals so they will help keep you accountable and will be less likely to offer you something detrimental to those goals.
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