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New Year's Weight Loss: 6 Tips |
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Written by Jessica Smith
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Wednesday, 11 November 2009 |
It is a time-honored tradition to make resolutions at this time of year.
If your resolution is to lose weight - and keep it off, then keep
reading! Here are six simple tips that will have you losing weight in a
balanced and healthy way.
1. Lose weight with water.
Water is
essential for everybody - it is also the key to losing weight. If you
haven't been drinking enough water, your body has developed a pattern
of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight.
By
drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also
teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. Drink at
least 60 ounces of water (about 8 glasses) a day. Boil water and sliced
lemons, and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention.
If you are still not sold on the merits of water, try this on for size:
water is a natural appetite suppressant.
2. Soup up your weight loss program.
A
simple dietary change will have you shedding pounds: eat a bowl of soup
at least once a day. Nutritious, low-salt soups will nourish you as
they flush waste from your body. People who eat a serving of soup daily
lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but
don't eat soup. Go for homemade soup whenever possible, as canned soups
are loaded with salt and chemicals.
3. Eat early to keep weight off.
The
human body follows a circadian rhythm, which means that the same foods
eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when eaten
at dinner. Studies show that when you eat your daily protein and fat at
breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating
the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward weight
gain. I suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 7 p.m.
4. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.
Follow
an eating schedule with five little meals every day. Eating steadily
through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your
next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from raw almonds, pumpkin seeds,
dried plum, and apples and have it available at all times to avoid the
tempting lure of high-calorie snacks.
5. Adopt a balanced approach to your diet.
Most
of the fad diet programs out there nowadays are extreme in a few
recommended foods, or else deprive the body of food altogether. This
works in opposition to our metabolism and the results usually don't
last, producing a yoyo effect that depresses your metabolic function -
not to mention your self-esteem. We are natural beings that need a
balance of nutrition from all sources.
Your diet should consist
of a balance of organic sources of lean protein, complex carbohydrates,
whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Instead of white
rice and pasta, opt for brown rice, bulgur, millet, or buckwheat.
Eat
more green, chlorophyll-rich foods such as broccoli, kale, spinach, and
asparagus. Eliminate candy, sugar, soda, and all simple sugars from
your diet. Excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which
results in weight gain. Also, keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy
products are high in saturated fat. Avoid fatty foods, processed or
fried foods.
6. Walk off the weight.
The No. 1 cause of weight gain is
inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism
and burning excess calories. The best way to be physically active is to
use your legs! Walk as often and as long as you can. Always take the
stairs instead of the elevator.
Step outside during your break
at work and take a walk around your building. Consider joining a local
hiking club. Try taking a walk 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes
in the early evening.
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