For the majority of people out there that want to lose weight but
have a hard time finding the time to exercise, there are simple
strategies that you can use to lose weight.
While some people may
call these strategies lazy, they really are smart. Because you will be
taking advantage of the activities that you are already doing during
your day and tweaking them to boost your metabolizm and lose weight.
#1 - Tweaking Your Diet
A
very easy way to lose weight is to simply alter your diet. You don't
have to give up every food that you enjoy. But think about a few empty
calories that you consume every day or every week. You can simply
eliminate these foods or drinks from your diet. Not only will you feel
better but you will be consuming less calories which in turn will help
you lose weight. Examples include: soda, fried foods, oversized portions
(typical of most restaurants), whole milk products.
Some suggested strategies:
- use cooking spray
-
if eating at a restaurant only eat half of the food on your plate save
the rest for lunch the next day (also saves money so you don't have to
buy lunch)
- drink a glass of water before you eat and you will feel fuller faster
#2 - Eating 5-6 Smaller Meals A Day Works Period
Most
of us were taught to eat 3 meals a day i.e. breakfast,lunch and dinner.
Many people try saving extra calories by not eating breakfast.
Unfortunately, this strategy does not have good results because if you
skip breakfast you will be starving by lunch time.
You will most
likely have that desperate starving feeling by mid morning so you may be
more up to grab an unhealthy snack from that box of donuts that your
co-worker brought in that morning.
In the same token, if you are
able to hold out until lunch time, you will be more likely to eat a
bigger portion of food or fattening foods because your body feels so
hungry. So plan ahead and start out with a good breakfast that includes
whole grains and protein. Then bring in a few healthy snacks and a light
lunch that also includes a protein. If you try this out for a week you
will be surprised at how you won't have that starving feeling anymore
and actually feel full.
#3 - Fiber - The Magic Food Ingredient
This
is very simple. A high fiber diet includes a lot of fruits, vegetables
and whole grains. So choosing fruits, vegetables and whole grain snacks
will be easy to fill up those 5-6 meals that you are going to be eating.
Keep the amount of processed foods that you are eating to a minimum.
#4 - Weigh In
Research
has shown that people that weigh themselves regularly are more likely
to maintain their weight. The reason for this are that you will be aware
that your weight is increasing by a pound or two and it will be easy to
cut back on calories to maintain your weight. And just to point out
that daily weighing is not the cause of eating disorders. So don't worry
about stepping on the scale. You will thank yourself in the long run.
#5 - Maximize The Activites You Already Do
One
great way to take your mind off of exercise is to add music. You will
be surprised that if you turn on your favorite toons on the radio or
using your Ipod while cleaning or doing chores you will enjoy the
activity longer and actually will turn it into a workout. We all know
the popularity of Zumba. Most of that comes from our love to dance and
hear music. Music definitely gets that body moving.
Another
strategy is to watch your favorite TV show and jump on the treadmill or
other exercise machine. You will be so engrossed in your show that you
will hardly notice that you fit in a 30 minute workout.
