Finding good and natural ways to lose weight have become increasingly easier. Between cable television and the Internet, we're all up to speed on how dieting alone doesn't work and how exercise without a little restraint at the dinner table isn't going to do the job either. It's a combination of the two and a third magic ingredient that will help you lose weight and keep it off.
Diet
You've heard of them: the Grapefruit Diet, the Cabbage Soup diet. Weight-loss fad diets such as these come and go. Unfortunately for you, the weight goes and usually comes back. Your attempts to lose weight quickly devolve into yo-yo dieting that is not only boring but injurious to your health. A better use of your time and money would be to invest in a session with a registered holistic nutritionist who can help you approach food with a new outlook. According to The Institute of Holistic Nutrition, these accredited practitioners are schooled to help you implement the real lifestyle changes you'll need to succeed. A registered nutritionist will recommend cutting down on fats, especially saturated and hydrogenated; reducing your portions; and indulging in healthy snacks between meals.
Become a detective in the grocery store and use your magnifying glass to highlight the labels of every packaged food you buy. Or better yet, invest in a cookbook that provides low-fat, nutritious recipes and buy as many natural ingredients as you can. Losing weight can be a delicious experience in more ways than one.
Exercise
When the word "exercise" is mentioned, people either groan or get a maniacal gleam in their eyes. It's a good bet that if you're thinking about losing weight, you'll be the one that groans. Those people who do exercise regularly have that gleam of anticipation, because they have experienced the rush of endorphins -- the "feel good" neurochemicals we secrete when working out. A good thing about exercise is that you don't have to spend all day at it to get your desired result. A modest routine consisting of a brisk 20- to 30-minute walk every second day is all you need to get started. When you begin to anticipate those walks with pleasure and they coincide with a few pounds lost on the scale, you will want to add another element such as lifting free weights at home. You'll never bulk up by lifting 5-lb. weights, but instead you will tone and slim. Combined with your healthy eating plan, exercise is a must on your agenda.
Just Say No
After you have taken steps to improve your diet and exercise, the hard part of changing other unhealthy habits comes into play. The old habits that didn't serve you are not restricted to what you indulge in at home...they're the coffee runs at break, birthday and office parties, going out to restaurants and facing the concession stand at movie theaters. The list of temptations is endless.
Learning to say no to yourself is a discipline that must be cultivated to keep losing weight. But the good news is that you can learn strategies that will feed your desires without sabotaging the entire program. Fill up a small container with seeds or nuts when you go to the movies. Offer to bring a second dessert -- one that is low in fat, of course -- to the next party you attend. Be creative and remember that when you say no to your old lifestyle, you're saying yes to your new, healthy one.
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