If you've been desperately trying to squeeze into those skinny jeans that are taunting you from the back of your closet, fear not. This will be the year that you finally zip the fly and feel good about the way you look. Losing weight can be difficult and many people fail at dieting because it's just too hard, but if you're serious about shedding pounds, these 10 simple tips will make weight loss virtually painless.
1.) Add foods to your diet rather than limiting yourself. This sounds counter intuitive, but adding in healthy goodies to munch on can keep your hunger pangs at bay without sabotaging your day. Try cherries, grapes or even crunchy peas. Add fruit to your cereal and load up your soups, stews and sauces with veggies rather than meat or cheese. If you add things to your diet rather than taking things away, you won't feel the sense of deprivation that leads many people to quit on their diets.
2.) Stop putting so much emphasis on exercising. Exercising is a dirty little word that nobody likes to say because there are so many negative emotions associated with the word, it's best to avoid it all together. There are plenty of ways you can get more active without actually exercising. Park farther away from your building at work, start a garden, take a stroll on the beach, play with your kids or enjoy some adult time with your significant other. There are plenty of ways you can burn calories without ever stepping foot in a gym.
3.) Walk more. Walking more will do 3 things for you. First, it will get you more active without really being exercise. Second, it will get you outdoors where you can commune with nature and enjoy the fresh air. That will give your mental health a good boost. Third, it will take your mind off of food, unless of course your walk takes you past your favorite restaurant. Better plan your route accordingly.
If you don't have time to walk or don't have any sidewalks in your neighborhood, you can always mow the lawn, walk during your lunch break, rake leaves by hand instead of with a leaf-blower, get off the bus a stop earlier, go window-shopping at the mall, choose the stairs over the elevator or dance around while you push the vacuum cleaner.
4.) Give your favorite foods a makeover. If there's something you really enjoy eating that isn't so healthy for you, try giving it a makeover so you can still have it in your life. For example, if you enjoy eating a bowl of ice cream while you watch trash TV, choose low-fat ice cream and garnish it with some great toppings like chocolate sprinkles or fresh fruits. You won't even notice that it's low-cal.
5.) Drink more water. You know you need to drink more water and you always say you're going to, but it just never happens. If you skip water you're probably filling your stomach with food when in fact what your body is really asking for is a refreshing drink. Try drinking a glass of water before meals. You'll see that it helps you manage your portions easier since you won't be as hungry when you start eating.
6.) Share with friends or family. If you're going to a restaurant, consider going Dutch and sharing the meal with a friend or family member. If you can't bring yourself to hand over 1/2 of your entrée, at least share the desert which can be laden with calories. Sharing your meal will not only save you calories, it will also save you money.
7.) Exercise while you watch TV. If you have a favorite show that you love watching, try tuning up while you watch. Get up and dance during a musical number, park your elliptical in front of the TV to exercise while you watch or do sit-ups whenever a commercial comes on. Turn it into a competition with your significant other and make it fun.
8.) Choose smaller plates. You know that portion sizes are a big factor in overeating, but you can't quite feel satisfied if half of the real estate on your plate is left open. The simple option is to just size-down your dinnerware. Choose a lunch plate at dinnertime and heap on the goodness. You'll get the visual satisfaction of a full plate of food and odds are that it'll be plenty to fill you up. Resist going in for seconds. If possible, leave the dishes in another room so you have to physically get up to get more. That will give you time to decide if you're really hungry or just eating because there's more food available.
9.) Get to the table. Resist eating in front of the TV. Eating in front of the TV can turn meal time into a mindless exercise in gluttony. Take a break from the tube, talk to the people in your family or do something that interests you. Turning off the TV helps you focus on what you're eating and how much of it you're actually consuming.
10.) Keep the weight off. You'll need patience to lose weight. The pounds won't come off overnight, but with time it will happen. Know that as time goes on, it gets easier to maintain your weight loss, so work on your patience as you undertake your new diet.
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