Losing weight and keeping it off means modifying your diet and exercise routine as well as your mindset. The more realistic your approach to diet and exercise, the easier it will be to reach your weight-loss goals. Use all the tips and tricks you can to stay motivated and lose the weight.
Change Your Mindset
According to Lisa Delaney from Quick & Simple, you'll need to change the way you think about food. Food is a necessary for energy, but many people look at food as if it were an indulgence or treat. Stop and think about your food choices and make sure you are eating when you are hungry instead of in response to boredom or an emotional reaction.
Be Ambitious
The average person reaches 60 percent of his weekly goals in terms of exercise and fitness, reports "Fitness" magazine, citing a study by the College of Public Health and Health Professions from the University of Florida. With this in mind, it is important to be ambitious so you feel like you've gotten enough exercise to impact your weight-loss goals, even if you don't get as much exercise as you initially planned.
Keep a Food Diary
"Fitness" reports that Matt from Season 2 of "The Biggest Loser" proved the importance of keeping a food diary. If you are honestly tracking the food you are eating, you'll have a clear image of what is causing your weight-loss plan to stall or move backwards. One week Matt blamed a 3-lb. weight gain on water retention when he had in fact been eating more food late at night than normal. Weigh yourself regularly and compare your results to the things you've written in your food diary to determine if you need to make changes to your meal plan.
Eat Crackers Instead of Bread
White bread can spike your blood sugar higher than scoop of ice cream, a soda or a slice of cake, notes "Fitness." White bread lacks fiber and doesn't make you feel full. Whole-grain crackers, such as high-fiber Triscuits or All-Bran Crackers, contain 3 to 5g of fiber per serving. They'll make you feel full for longer and go well with toppings like low-fat cheese, hummus or nut spreads.
Count Calories
According to "Shape" magazine, it takes 3,500 calories to gain or lose 1 lb. Reducing your overall calorie intake by 500 calories per day can help you to lose 1 lb. each week. Making healthier food choices and adding some extra exercise to your daily routine will make it easy to cut calories without making drastic, metabolism-slowing changes to your diet.
Member Comments