A healthy approach to weight loss is crucial to your success. Fad diets, pills, powders and shakes are not going to make any permanent difference in your weight, and can in fact be harmful. So what is one to do? By making better food choices, being cognizant of portions, and moving more, you can implement a lifestyle sure to whittle your waistline.
The trick to food decisions is not to avoid certain foods altogether, but to make better choices about those foods. For example, fresh strawberries with a dollop of non-fat whipped topping will satisfy your sweet tooth just as much as a slab of strawberry pie. Don’t deny yourself entire food groups or force yourself to eat foods you despise to lose weight. If cabbage soup sounds disgusting, then don’t eat it. Just because others may claim is makes them lose weight, it certainly won’t help you if you find it foul. By avoiding extremes and deprivation, your food choices can really add up to calorie savings.
Portion control is also paramount in weight loss. Take a gander at the box your favorite cereal comes in. Take out your measuring cup and serve up one portion in a bowl. Does it look too small? Maybe some fruit on the side would help fill you up. If you want two portions, have them! But be aware of the portion size and how many calories you are eating per portion. You may be surprised at how much you are actually eating.
Finally, moving more is essential to any healthy weight loss endeavor. Notice, I did not say exercise. Exercise, to most people, is forced activity, boring, and a chore. But moving more, why, that might be fun! Enjoy a walk to a friend’s house instead of driving. Take your dog or cat for a stroll. Race your kids to the end of the block and back. Take the stairs. By moving more, you are forcing your body to burn off it’s energy stores, also known as fat.
By implementing these three easy changes into your life, you will notice the pounds melting away. If you do it right, only a pound or two should drop off a week. If you’re losing faster than that, feel free to have a small indulgence or two. The only way to permanent weight loss is a healthy approach.
