Need to lose weight ? Dreading the thought of another diet program ? You do not have to diet to lose weight . There are many people discover by themselves and they are the ones who find weight loss long term coated short-term solutions . The key to losing weight is to find the right balance between what you eat, what you think and what you do the activity. It does not follow a perfect plan. It is impossible to be perfect every day!
Finding the right balance allows you to reduce your calorie intake , increase your metabolism and keeps the self-sabotage remotely. Here are 8 steps to bring more balance in all parts of your life so that you too can find success in weight loss.
1 . Eat more often during the day
Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals can have a negative impact on your metabolism and leads to overeating later in the day. It is better to have 3 small meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day . You will feel more satisfied and eat less. Plan a snack or meal every 4-5 hours .
2 . Watch portion sizes ,
Appropriate portions are still poorly understood. Most Americans eat 2-3 times the recommended serving sizes . Limit your grains, cereals , pasta and rice ½ - 1 cup portion size . Keep meat , poultry and fish to 4-ounce serving sizes. The restaurants are known to give very large portions of food. Keep this in mind when you eat. Eat half the food on your plate or take the rest home for lunch the next day . Studies show that when people receive large portions , they eat up to 56% more calories without realizing it . To add insult to injury, the portions are bigger than they have ever been. Start to become more aware of the parts you are served wherever you are.
3 . Eat good fats -
Yes some fat is important. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important strategy for successful weight loss and yet most Americans do not eat enough of these healthy fats. Some reports show that these fatty acids may be helpful in increasing your metabolism. They are also shown to be a wonderful mood supporter and people report much less cravings and triggers to eat when they incorporate omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis . This is especially important for emotional eaters out there . Omega 3 is found in oily fish like salmon , mackerel , cod, they are also found in canola oil , walnuts and ground flaxseed .
4 . Increase fruits and vegetables -
Fruits and vegetables are not only packed with vitamins , minerals and antioxidants , they are also loaded with fiber and low in calories. Include 5-8 fruits and vegetables every day. This is one of the most important things you can do regime change . When you fill your plate with fruits and vegetables you eat less high calorie foods . For example, consider a sample steak dinner .
Meals Origin:
8 oz steak
Whole baked potato with fixings
½ cup broccoli
Meal Makeover:
4 oz steak
½ baked potato with fixings
½ cup broccoli
Salad greens, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon light dressing
By changing the balance of this meal to include more vegetables while decreasing the steak and potato we saved approximately 350 calories. Save 350 calories a day can lead to almost a weight loss of 1 pound per week . Small changes are the key.
5. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you are full
Our bodies have an innate mechanism for managing weight. It performs this task by making you feel full when it's time to stop eating . Each time you eat past full you take in more calories than your body needs that will result in weight gain . Start to become more aware of your internal signals of hunger and satiety ( fullness ) . You will be amazed how many times you wait too long to eat and how often you eat past full and enter into stuffed . It is common for all of us do from time to time. However, it 's time to check with yourself and see how many times you fall into these eating habits. Listen to your body , it will tell you when you are physically ready for food and when you are ready to stop.
6 . Exercise regularly ,
I know this is not something that you have not heard before, but it is an essential part of weight management . It is important to engage in regular aerobic activity and weight bearing . Aerobic exercise helps you burn fat and weight bearing activity increases your metabolic rate . Muscle burns up to 90% more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds of muscle you can actually burn 100 - 250 additional calories per day. This combination of aerobic activity and weight bearing is what really kicks weight loss speed.
7 . Limit sugar
Sugar becomes a major issue for many people who want to lose weight. Not only does it add calories, it also causes insulin spikes leading to store more calories as fat , it stimulates the appetite, and is a major trigger food for emotional eaters . However, this does not mean that you have to go all or nothing. When people try to omit all sugar from their diet , they can become obsessed with sugary foods and end up in a frenzy . Finding the right balance for sugar. Avoid daily use of sugar and instead have some innocent treats from time to time . A cupcake at a birthday party or an ice cream party with friends is a good way to incorporate sugar once in a while to avoid negative results.
8 . Pamper yourself regularly
Who wants to argue with that? The reality is many people eat for emotional reasons . Food makes us feel good on many levels . The problem occurs when eating becomes the only coping mechanism your subconscious knows . That is why that pesky urge to emotional eating is so strong . It is difficult to reason your way to escape. For many people the food is the only thing they know they feel better . When you start to do other things that make you feel good on a regular basis such as taking a hot bath, a walk, a cup of hot tea, then your subconscious starts to register these activities as mechanisms and adaptation . Over time this will decrease the constant urge to use food. You can not expect to have a bad day, go take a bath and do not want to eat . This is something you should do regularly and something that you really enjoy so your subconscious starts to recognize it as a new choice.
© 2005 Meri Raffetto
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