The increasing rate of obesity in the world has led many people to question their weight and their health. It is a known fact that as weight increases, the risk for adult onset Type 2 diabetes increases. But many people are unsure how to begin a diet regimen that is effective without starving themselves. Below I have listed some of the best ways to begin the weight loss process without turning into a rabbit and eating only lettuce.
First, stop drinking soda. I cannot stress enough how much eliminating this one thing can decrease your weight. Soda is basically empty calories. There is no nutritional value in it, and it is not good for your teeth or your stomach. And no, replacing it with a diet soda is not necessarily going to help either. Soda contains large amounts of sodium, which makes you retain water, thus increasing your weight. If you want to see that scale budge, exchange your soda for iced tea if you need the caffeine, or just plain water. This will help flush out your body and have the added benefit of cutting out 200 calories per can you do not drink.
Next is the dreaded portion control. Diet companies such as Weight Watchers have been espousing this idea for years, and with good reason. By cutting down on the amount of food you eat, you cut down the amount of calories you intake. If the amount of calories you eat is less than the amount you use in everyday activities, you will lose weight. The question is how to do so without feeling hungry all the time. Eat small meals. If you eat small meals constantly your body does not have the opportunity to reach the stage of being extremely hungry, which is when most people over eat. The other key to portion control is to put smaller amount of food on your plate, so that you do not mindlessly eat more food than your body actually needs. By limiting what you can eat when you aren’t paying attention, you can cut calories and notice when you are actually feeling full.
I know nobody wants to hear this, but add in a bit of exercise each day. This doesn’t mean you need to spend hours at the gym. By parking farther away and walking into a store you add in a few hundred yards to your daily routine. Next, you take the stairs instead of the elevator. More calories gone! You will be amazed how quickly it adds up when you do a little bit at a time. No treadmill required. And if you really want to get crazy, go out and take the dog for a walk. He will appreciate the attention and you will appreciate the smaller pant size in a few weeks.
Finally, this is the ultimate rule in losing weight. If you know it is bad for you, and you know you like eating it, don’t keep it in the house! If you want chips and they are in your house, you are going to eat them. Good news is that people are lazy. If you have to get dressed, get in your car, and go to the grocery store to buy those chips, chances are you are not going to eat them because you don’t want to expend the amount of energy needed to go get them. Same rule of thumb goes for cookies, soda, etc. I’m not saying that you should permanently keep them out of your cupboard, but for the most part, don’t buy them and you will not eat them.
I hope this has given you some simple ideas on how to begin losing weight. These are simple changes that can make a world of difference, not just in your weight, but also in your health and quality of life.
Hey, nice post, very well written. You should blog more about this.