Food is utilized by your body for energy and any surplus energy is stored as fat. If you consume more food than your body requires for every day activates and cell upkeep you will increase your weight. To lose weight the healthy way you need to make sure your body uses up stores of fat. The best way to do this is to reduce the amount of calories you eat and increase your level of activity or exercise.
Make small changes in eating habits. For example one extra cookie a week can give you enough calories to gain almost five pounds in a year. Stop eating that extra cookie and you will not gain the extra five pounds. Change out full fat milk and high fat content milk products for skim milk. Make time for breakfast every morning and eat a healthy breakfast. This is the best way to lose weight. If you change your eating habits gradually you will be much healthier and you will keep the weight off and your new eating habits will now be a part of your eating patterns..
Increase activity levels and exercise plans. If you increase the amount you exercise but keep the same calorie intake you will lose weight. If you hate gyms try taking a short twenty minute walk every day. Use your lunch hour for walking or just before dinner is a great time to go for a stroll. Increase your activity by running, cycling, walking, swimming or an aerobics class. Find something that you like that and will give you exercise and activity. Walk around the mall, park your car far from the door and find ways to walk more. Every extra step you take during the day is a huge help. Use the stairs instead of an elevator or get off the bus a stop ahead of your normal end.
Think counting calories is a waste of time? Instead of writing down calories from cans and boxes replace sodas and fizzy drinks with water. Eat less than you usually do. If you make your own sandwich for lunch limit the use of butter and mayonnaise. Don”t take sugar in your tea or coffee and eat smaller portions of the foods you love. Save portions for different times during the day. Do not have a second helping at dinner time. No matter how you love certain foods avoid eating more than your stomach can comfortably hold. Try not eating potato chips between meals and avoid eating chocolate on an hourly basis. Cut out alcohols unless at special occasions and make sure these occasions are special not justified. Whatever you do, however, don”t skip breakfast or any other meal to lose weight. You will reduce your calorie intake but you will be much hungrier late on and reach for the fatty snack foods to appease your hunger.
Finally write down your calorie and exercise plan. Keep a daily diary of everything you eat and drink. This will give you an idea of what you can happily cut out of your eating plans. Remember the old fable of the tortoise and the hare? Apply it to your weight losing programs; “slow and steady wins the race.”
