If you want to lose weight, but want to do so on auto-pilot, you have come to the right place. Here are ten easy ways to make the weight fall off by barely trying at all!
1. Use a Smaller Plate
Feeling full and satisfied is just as much in your mind as it is in your stomach. Anytime you eat, you want to leave the table feeling satisfied. This makes you finish everything on your plate even though you probably aren't physically hungry anymore. If you downsize your plate, it is a good way to reduce the amount of calories you are taking in, but still feel satisfied because you finished everything in sight. Depending on the meal, downsizing by 25% can help you lose 10 pounds in six months.
Feeling full and satisfied is just as much in your mind as it is in your stomach. Anytime you eat, you want to leave the table feeling satisfied. This makes you finish everything on your plate even though you probably aren't physically hungry anymore. If you downsize your plate, it is a good way to reduce the amount of calories you are taking in, but still feel satisfied because you finished everything in sight. Depending on the meal, downsizing by 25% can help you lose 10 pounds in six months.
2. Watch Your Liquids
Although drinks aren't called food it doesn't mean they don't make you gain weight. Sodas, milk, alcohol and even fruit juices can add a significant amount of calories to your diet. By eliminating two 12 ounce sodas or two 12 ounce beers from your diet every day, you can lose 22 pounds in just one year! Water actually has zero calories so you can drink as much as you want and not gain a pound. Staying hydrated also keeps your body from sending false hunger signals to the brain when you are actually thirsty and not hungry.
Although drinks aren't called food it doesn't mean they don't make you gain weight. Sodas, milk, alcohol and even fruit juices can add a significant amount of calories to your diet. By eliminating two 12 ounce sodas or two 12 ounce beers from your diet every day, you can lose 22 pounds in just one year! Water actually has zero calories so you can drink as much as you want and not gain a pound. Staying hydrated also keeps your body from sending false hunger signals to the brain when you are actually thirsty and not hungry.
3. Understand Weight Loss Science
It is important to be aware your weight doesn't just magically go up, there is actually science involved. Nutritional science tells us that 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of pure body fat. If you take in 500 too many calories each day for an entire week you get 3,500 extra calories or 1 pound of fat. Continue this behavior and you can gain 20 pounds in just 5 months. On the contrary, if you take 500 less calories than you need every day for 5 months, you will lose 20 pounds! Find your basal metabolic rate and see how many calories you need in a day to survive and lose weight.
It is important to be aware your weight doesn't just magically go up, there is actually science involved. Nutritional science tells us that 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of pure body fat. If you take in 500 too many calories each day for an entire week you get 3,500 extra calories or 1 pound of fat. Continue this behavior and you can gain 20 pounds in just 5 months. On the contrary, if you take 500 less calories than you need every day for 5 months, you will lose 20 pounds! Find your basal metabolic rate and see how many calories you need in a day to survive and lose weight.
4. Count Calories Correctly
Knowing how many calories you need in a day won't do much good unless you can count your calories correctly. Focusing on serving size, servings per container, and calories per serving are all very important when looking at a food label. The number of calories you see is actually per serving and not the entire container. To get the calories in the entire container, you multiply the number of servings per container by calories per serving. If you are using an online calorie counter, you have to make sure the tool's serving size is the same as the serving size you actually consume. Miscalculation of calories is a huge roadblock for people trying to lose weight. It is a good idea to add at least 10% on to the number of calories you think you are eating to get the true amount of calories you eat in a day.
Knowing how many calories you need in a day won't do much good unless you can count your calories correctly. Focusing on serving size, servings per container, and calories per serving are all very important when looking at a food label. The number of calories you see is actually per serving and not the entire container. To get the calories in the entire container, you multiply the number of servings per container by calories per serving. If you are using an online calorie counter, you have to make sure the tool's serving size is the same as the serving size you actually consume. Miscalculation of calories is a huge roadblock for people trying to lose weight. It is a good idea to add at least 10% on to the number of calories you think you are eating to get the true amount of calories you eat in a day.
5. Eat a Variety
Human beings like variety. Eating the same thing over and over again for weeks at a time will not produce long-term results and also starves your body from valuable nutrients it needs to keep you feeling your best. Making your plate colorful and full of variety will stimulate your brain's pleasure reward system which helps curb your appetite. It also helps ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need which makes you feel great while losing weight. Use a plate with dividers and make sure each section is a different color.
Human beings like variety. Eating the same thing over and over again for weeks at a time will not produce long-term results and also starves your body from valuable nutrients it needs to keep you feeling your best. Making your plate colorful and full of variety will stimulate your brain's pleasure reward system which helps curb your appetite. It also helps ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need which makes you feel great while losing weight. Use a plate with dividers and make sure each section is a different color.
6. Slow and Steady Wins the Race
It takes some time before the stomach actually signals to the brain that it is full. By eating too fast, you do more than satisfy your hunger, you "stuff" yourself full of unnecessary calories. Try taking smaller bites and chewing slowly, taking the time to enjoy the food. Put your fork or spoon down after every one or two bites. It is even a good idea to take a 2-3 minute water break half way through your meal. Treat meal time like a 5k run, not a 100 meter dash.
It takes some time before the stomach actually signals to the brain that it is full. By eating too fast, you do more than satisfy your hunger, you "stuff" yourself full of unnecessary calories. Try taking smaller bites and chewing slowly, taking the time to enjoy the food. Put your fork or spoon down after every one or two bites. It is even a good idea to take a 2-3 minute water break half way through your meal. Treat meal time like a 5k run, not a 100 meter dash.
7. Take Control
You are the only one who can make weight loss happen. It's important to remind yourself that the weight didn't appear overnight; it isn't coming off overnight either, but if you take control, you will lose weight. Do not make excuses. Excuses suggest someone who is not focused on being successful or someone who is afraid to fail. Excuses come in all shapes and sizes, some big, some small. To be successful, you can have ZERO excuses, not even the little ones. If you have doubt, eliminate it. Doubt will just hold you back and weaken your focus. If you don't have faith in yourself, it will be extremely difficult to lose weight.
You are the only one who can make weight loss happen. It's important to remind yourself that the weight didn't appear overnight; it isn't coming off overnight either, but if you take control, you will lose weight. Do not make excuses. Excuses suggest someone who is not focused on being successful or someone who is afraid to fail. Excuses come in all shapes and sizes, some big, some small. To be successful, you can have ZERO excuses, not even the little ones. If you have doubt, eliminate it. Doubt will just hold you back and weaken your focus. If you don't have faith in yourself, it will be extremely difficult to lose weight.
8. No Seconds!
American culture has conditioned you to think you can indulge in whatever you want without facing consequences. Never eat seconds after any meal. Seconds are fueled completely by appetite, not by hunger. Instead of serving meals family style, get food from the kitchen and take your full plate to the table. Once you finish your plate at a meal, close up the kitchen because there is no need to eat any more food. Get up from the table and occupy your mind with something other than food. Pay attention to how much food you are actually preparing for each meal and avoid leftovers. This can also save you money in your grocery budget.
American culture has conditioned you to think you can indulge in whatever you want without facing consequences. Never eat seconds after any meal. Seconds are fueled completely by appetite, not by hunger. Instead of serving meals family style, get food from the kitchen and take your full plate to the table. Once you finish your plate at a meal, close up the kitchen because there is no need to eat any more food. Get up from the table and occupy your mind with something other than food. Pay attention to how much food you are actually preparing for each meal and avoid leftovers. This can also save you money in your grocery budget.
9. Accountability Partner
You probably act a little differently when your reputation is at stake. Find a couple people whom you are especially close with and don't want to let down. Write out a simple weight loss contract and make them your accountability partners! Your accountability partners do not actually have to be losing weight themselves, they are simply there to help you stay motivated and on track during the tough times. Set a day each week to weigh yourself and tell your accountability partners about your results.
You probably act a little differently when your reputation is at stake. Find a couple people whom you are especially close with and don't want to let down. Write out a simple weight loss contract and make them your accountability partners! Your accountability partners do not actually have to be losing weight themselves, they are simply there to help you stay motivated and on track during the tough times. Set a day each week to weigh yourself and tell your accountability partners about your results.
10. Get Out and Move
Your body uses energy to keep you alive. Your heart beat, breathing, and even your brain require energy to function. Adding in some extra movements goes a long way to burning extra calories and losing weight. Most call this exercise, but really it is anything that raises your heart beat. Use an exercise ball at work instead of a traditional chair. Taking the stairs, jogging, mowing the grass, swimming, exercise programs, raking leaves, are all ways to burn extra calories. WebMD has a great tool to help calculate how many calories an activity actually burns. You can also purchase a pedometer to count your steps. Walk an extra 2600 steps during the day and you can burn enough calories to lose 7 pounds in a year.
Your body uses energy to keep you alive. Your heart beat, breathing, and even your brain require energy to function. Adding in some extra movements goes a long way to burning extra calories and losing weight. Most call this exercise, but really it is anything that raises your heart beat. Use an exercise ball at work instead of a traditional chair. Taking the stairs, jogging, mowing the grass, swimming, exercise programs, raking leaves, are all ways to burn extra calories. WebMD has a great tool to help calculate how many calories an activity actually burns. You can also purchase a pedometer to count your steps. Walk an extra 2600 steps during the day and you can burn enough calories to lose 7 pounds in a year.
If you need additional help losing weight, it is a great idea to hire a life coach. Matthew Karpinski provides exceptional weight loss life coaching. The results which are produced are priceless. Check out the link below for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Karpinski
No comments:
Post a Comment