Sooner or later, you have to decide whether you are comfortable in the body you’re with. Although being overweight has become fairly common, it’s not healthy. The following advice includes great ideas for shedding pounds and maintaining your results. Your success depends on you, and you can tailor a plan that will be easy to follow and still give you results.
Enlist a friend to be your weight-loss workout buddy. Not only will having a friend hold you accountable so you won’t bypass your workout for a night on the couch, but it will also inspire you to work harder. The friendly competition will spur you to push yourself a little more during each workout.
Milk is a dieter’s best friend. While whole milk has unnecessary amounts of fat, 1% and skim milk, is a smart drink choice and anyone trying to lose weight should drink at least eight ounces per day. The cheapest source of protein you can find, milk also contains vitamin D and is naturally low on sugar.
It’s a common perception that drinking large amounts of water will promote weight loss. But, lesser know is the fact that drinking very cold water actually makes your metabolism kick into an even higher gear. When you drink cold water your body brings the temperature of your body up and your metabolism increases.
Trying to lose weight? Try cutting out meat. In general, vegetarians are leaner and lighter than meat eaters. There is much less saturated fat in fruits, vegetables and legumes than there is in animal products. Try skipping the burgers and the hot dogs, and you are likely to drop a few pounds.
A great way to lose some weight is to watch portion sizes. Typical portion sizes served at restaurants are much larger that most bodies need. We are used to the big sizes and therefore, tend to eat more. When eating out, try to be aware of how much food you really need and only eat that much.
Go ahead and throw out those high calorie foods. It might feel wasteful, but if you are serious about losing weight it might be a good idea to hurry and get rid of any foods that might tempt you to stray from your diet. Clean out your fridge and pantries to make room for healthier foods.
Even the smallest adjustments can make a big difference when you are trying to lose those last five pounds. For instance, try switching from 2% milk to skim milk. If you drink coffee or eat cereal every day, the calories and fat from milk (even if it is reduced fat) can add up. Switch to skim milk and start seeing results!
Pay yourself to lose weight. Give yourself added incentive to walk a few minutes longer or push the plate away a little sooner. Put a tip jar on the counter in the kitchen, and put in a dime for every 10 minutes of exercise you do and a dollar for every pound you lose. After three months, use the money you have collected to buy yourself a (non-food) reward.
Taking breaks during meals is an excellent way to evaluate if you are still hungry. Stop about half-way through your dinner and sit for about 30 seconds before continuing to eat. You may find that you are done eating and you don’t need to continue. That will have saved you a lot of calories that you really didn’t need.
If you are trying to lose weight, be sure to check all food labels. Certain things should be avoided. You should try to avoid eating items that have more than 4 grams of sugar per serving. By knowing what is in the food that you are eating, you will be able to tell what items are healthier than others.
If you occasionally want to indulge in a high calorie treat, plan for it. Consider your indulgence as part of your diet plan and make more sensible choices for the rest of the day. An occasional treat won’t ruin your diet if the rest of your meals are full of healthy fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean proteins.
Every dieter under the sun has heard about portion control and how that supposedly helps you lose weight, but the portion size of your meal isn’t nearly as important as the time in which it takes you to eat it. Slow down when you’re eating and give your body time to feel full. Your body releases hormones that tell the brain to stop eating, but they aren’t released when you woof the food down.
There is hope for even the most sedentary gamer or couch potato. The Nintendo Wii offers a surprisingly diverse catalog of physically challenging and engaging games, that are both fun and functional in terms of movement. Better still, you can choose a Wii workout program designed for one player or a whole group of friends.
Getting healthy does not mean that you have to remove fat from your diet. Not all fats are bad; fatty acids like Omega-3, 6, and 9 are noticeably absent from almost any preservative-laden food product on the shelf at the grocery store. Fatty acids like these, found in legumes and fish, can help you lose weight and lower cholesterol.
There is no magic pill for weight loss. You have to change what you are doing physically and tweak what you are putting into your body. If you will follow our tips, you will find success at effectively losing the weight that you want to lose and keeping it off.
