Did you gain some weight throughout the year? Do you overindulge over the holiday season each year? If you’re like many people, you give yourself permission to eat whatever you want over the holiday season. From Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies to Aunt Aggie’s Sweet Potato Pie, you probably inhaled it all!
Right about now, your body is probably begging you to lose the holiday and pre-holiday weight gain. Now, you’re on the scale and do not like the number starring back at you. Relax, take a deep breath, and make the decision today to lose the weight. Those 30 lbs. will be gone in no time.
Weight loss does not have to be scary or overwhelm you. You gained the weight one pound at a time, so take it off one pound at a time. Remember, crash diets do not work. You’ll see results in the short run, but in the long run you’ll gain the weight back and more!
Taking It Off for Good
- Know how much weight you want to lose. When you set a weight loss goal, be realistic. Not everyone will be “super model” thin. Find your target weight and go for it!
- Move for about 30 minutes per day. Do you like to dance? Are you a walker? No matter what you do, just exercise. Walking is a low-impact exercise that can help you to shed some pounds. Incorporate 3 to 5 lb. weights into your daily routine and build up from there. Take baby steps and start moving today!
- Keep a food journal. Do you know how many calories you eat per day? Do you know what you eat every day? Many experts believe a food journal will shed some light on what you eat each day. Most people go through their day fast and furious and do not even think or even taste what they eat. Slow down, taste your food, and write down what you eat every day. You’ll probably be surprised or mortified!
- Portion control. Use a small plate instead of a large one. The United States of America is known for “super-sizing” its foods. Cutting back on your portions is a great way to shed those extra pounds. You will notice a difference.
- Cut out fast food. Subway is a great alternative to fast foods. It’s fresh and you can have it your way.
- Curb the urge to dine out seven days a week. Not only will you save a ton of money, but you’ll see results from cutting back on eating out. Sometimes it cannot be avoided, but make an attempt to eat out less. If you must eat out, make smart choices. Look for the words “broiled and grilled,” skip the sauces, and ask for items such as salad dressing on the side. Better yet, skip the salad dressing.
Also, do not be afraid to ask for substitutions or to have something prepared a different way.
- Hold the desert. Ok, this will be difficult for most people. Cutting out desert will help you reach your weight loss goals. Have something once in awhile or look for a substitute. The other alternative is to have your desert once in awhile. If this is too tempting for you then just cut out desert. Replace it with fresh fruit or make it yourself using lower calorie or reduced fat ingredients.
Note: a label with the words “reduced fat, lower in fat, no fat, or no sugar, does not mean it’s better than ingredients that are higher in fat. Chances are the manufacturers replaced the “fat” with something else that is not good for you. This is why reading labels is important.
- Be wary of those 100 calorie snack packs. Did you read the label of ingredients? If you did not, it’s all right because I did ! Most of them contain high fructose syrup which is not good for you. These snacks have some ingredients that you’ve probably never heard of or cannot pronounce. For more information, check out the Mayo Clinic. They have a wealth of information that can prolong your life.
- Weigh yourself once a month. Do not weigh yourself every day because you’ll drive yourself nuts! When losing weight, you’ll probably hit a plateau which is normal. If you weigh yourself each day and do not lose a pound or two, you may become discouraged or obsessed. Weighing yourself once a month is fine and will keep you on track.
Follow these tips to get your body back into shape. Not only will you look good, but you’ll feel good. Some believe our body is a temple and should be treated like one. This means keep it clean and free of “garbage.” You would not desecrate a temple, would you?
If you would like to live a healthy and happy life, change your lifestyle. Get plenty of rest, mind your thoughts, curb your alcohol intake, quit smoking (try it), and live life to the fullest. Try these tips for 30 days and see what happens. You may not recognize yourself when you look in the mirror!