The more simple your diet plan is, the easier it will be to stay with it over time. When you make little changes, one at a time, they are more likely to become a part of your regular routine permanently. Take a look at the following simple steps, and try to begin incorporating them into your life, one by one.
If your goal is increased weight loss, try keeping a journal. It is so easy to eat more, and more often, than you realize you do. By keeping a journal, you can track when and what you eat, and what you were doing and feeling at the time. Over time, this information can give you tremendous insight into your eating habits and help you to make beneficial changes.
To assist with weight loss, try working weight training into your daily life. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn. Combining weight training with proper cardiovascular exercise are not only great for your overall health, but perfect compliments to a healthy diet. Although muscle does weigh more than fat, it is really fat loss that you are desiring and not weight. Consult your doctor before any major changes in your routine.
Don’t drink your calories. Replace caloric soft drinks and juices with calorie-free drinks. A single serving of regular soda can contain over a hundred calories and many people drink multiple servings per day. Your body doesn’t recognize liquid calories as food, so you still end up eating as much solid food as you would otherwise. Choose water or unsweetened tea to keep your calories and waistline in check.
One of the best ways to lose weight is by doing sprints. If you’ve ever seen short distance runners in the Olympics, you’ve noticed how lean and shredded they are. Science has proven that high intensity cardio such as sprints, is the most effective way of shedding fat and preserving lean muscle mass.
To remind yourself to stay motivated on your weight loss journey, ask someone to take a photo of you. Post it where it will be easy to see, or keep extra copies with you. Each time you start to overdo it with food, or you don’t want to exercise, look at the photo to remind yourself of what you want to change.
Consuming whole grains is essential if you are trying to lose weight. You can determine which are the best whole grain choices by consulting a dietician or do some research to answer your own questions. Avoid any foods that are labeled as refined or enriched. Most companies have whole grains listed on their packaging making these products easier to find in the stores.
Don’t eliminate fat altogether when you are trying to lose weight. Dietary fat is needed to help keep a healthy body. Healthy fats help build body tissues and cells. Vitamins and other nutrients are absorbed with the help of fat. You should eliminate the unhealthy fats, but keep the healthy fats to help with your body functions.
Even when you are trying to lose weight, you will still want the opportunity to eat out. Just remember that serving sizes in restaurants are usually very big. Think ahead and plan to consume only half the amount served, even going so far as to place a portion of it into a box to take home with you. This can help you to reduce your calorie intake and also provides you with a meal for the following day.
In order to avoid overeating at a restaurant, ask your server not to serve you bread or chips and salsa. If you are hungry, you will find it nearly impossible to resist if it is sitting in front of you. Chips are full of salt and the butter or fat in the bread or biscuits, will sabotage your weight loss efforts.
If you are trying to lose weight, then you need to avoid food items like bread, snacks, and chips. Therefore, when you are at a restaurant, tell your server to hold the bread, snacks, or chips that are served before the meal. When you are hungry, you are likely to overeat on these junk foods.
Cooking all your meals instead of eating out is a way to cut calories and lose weight. Most restaurants serve meals that are over 1,000 calories; that’s almost a whole day worth in just one meal! When cooking for yourself, cook low calorie meals that are also low in fat.
A lot of dieters seem to forget that a proper diet is a true lifestyle change and not simply a program to try out. To make sure you always remember this, purge your home of every little snack and starchy item you have. Restocking your home with healthier options helps to relay the message that you need permanent change.
If you are having a bowl of rice with dinner, try adding some small red peppers. Red peppers not only will increase the tastiness of your meal, but can increase your metabolism so that you can burn as much weight as possible. Add red peppers to your meal to aid your weight loss regimen.
Instead of consuming some of the calorie packed dips that are out on the market, choose a vegetable bean dip instead. This will go a long way in decreasing the amount of fat that you put into your body, and it also serves as a delicious snack for your weight loss regimen.
A good way to start losing weight is to eliminate as many empty calories from your diet as possible. If you drink a lot of soda, try replacing it with plenty of water. Sodas are basically nothing but sugar water. If you must have something sweet, try a fruit juice instead.
You can see that these simple tips are easy to implement and will bring you multiple health benefits. Make a commitment to add one or two new steps a week to your daily routine. You are sure to feel better and weigh less in a few months, and you will be able to continue these newly learned behaviors on into the future.
