If you´re looking to lose weight safely and naturally you should focus on making permanent changes in your lifestyle rather than going on a restrictive diet or any other form of temporary method.
You have to make healthy changes and stick to them so you can lose weight and keep it off for good. It is usually better if you introduce those changes gradually so start with one and once it becomes part of your life, introduce another. And so on…
And if you need any kind of advice, don´t hesitate to ask. I´m here to help!
When it comes to weight loss, nothing beats a personalized program but here´s some general tips:
1. REDUCE YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE
Booze will completely mess your weight loss plan. It will make you gain more weight or, at least, prevent you from losing it. Espcially if you do coctails where alcohol is mixed with sugar.
A glass of red wine is a better option.
2. FOLLOW AN EATING SCHEDULE
Eat small, healthy meals and snacks approximately every 3 hours throughout the day. It will help you mantain your energy levels and control your cravings. Also it will keep your basal metabolic rate high all day long, therefore burning more calories.
3. ADD A VEGGIE TO EVERY MEAL
Choose high fiber vegetables and add them to every meal and snack. You will get all the vital nutrients they contain and the fiber will keep you fuller and you will end up eating less.
4. KEEP HEALTHFUL SNACKS AT HOME AND AT WORK
Avoid having unhealthy snacks, candy, chips, candy bars at hand. Keep healthful snacks instead because you will tend to eat what you have.
These snacks will help you meet your nutritional needs and, at the same time, avoid excess sugar and salt.
These are some good snack options:
- natural nuts (no added salt or sugar)
- fruits
- crudites (chopped raw vegetables)
- low-fat dairy products (yogurt or cheese)
- dried seaweed
5. SET THE TABLE WITH DESSERT OR SALAD DISHES
Size DOES matter. Using smaller dishes will solve the portion problem. With smaller dishes, smaller portions. You will still feel like you had a full plate of food but you will end up eating less calories.
6. GIVE UP SOFT DRINKS
Forget about sweetened beverages like juice, soda, energy drinks and even some “healthy” sports drinks.
Drink water instead and only indulge on liquid calories in special ocassions, like at a party or restaurant.
7. HOLD YOUR FORK IN YOUR “WRONG” HAND
It takes some 20 minutes for your brain to acknowledge saciety. If you eat too fast it will probably miss the signs and you will overeat.
A great way to slow down is to hold your fork with your non-dominant hand or use chopsticks. You will eat less and have fun trying.
8. BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTER EVERY MEAL
Apart of making your dentist happy, you will prevent after-meals snacking (especially after dinner). Your fresh breath will act as a signal to stop eating.
9. TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR MEALS
It is very important to be conscious of what you eat because it will help you to naturally regulate your food intake.
You can take photos, log your food in a phone app or keep a written diary. Whichever you choose will do the trick.
10. GOT A CRAVING? GET DISTRACTED
You can stop succumbing to your cravings just by thinking: “Why am wanting to eat this?” More often than not it´s not hunger.
Get distracted! The intense feeling will go away in about 15 minutes and you will have avoided the unnecessary extra calories. Trick yourself into playing on your phone, reading, painting, watching TV or whatever will absorb you enough until it passes.
I used to tell myself that I will go for (whatever it was I wanted) after I finished (doing anything that I enjoyed). After waiting some minutes I didn´t want that food anymore and I could completely escape temptation.
11. MAKE A BEDTIME AND STICK TO IT
Sleeping too little has two main undesirable effects:
- Hormonal inbalance: Ghrelin (hunger hormone) levels will increase and leptin (saciety hormon) levels will decrease.
- Less impulse control: you will be less likely to stick to healthy food choices and correct portion sizes the following day.
12. TREAT YOURSELF WITH A TASTY PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
Protein will keep you feeling full longer than carbs or fats and it is a great ally in your weight loss journey.
A delicious way to add protein to your diet is through smoothies. Be creative and enjoy!
13. SAY NO TO TREATS AT THE OFFICE
It is part of office culture to share all sorts of delicious treats, with or without motive for celebration. They are awfully hard to resist, but remember that free food will also turn into fat in your body.
Don´t think of it as deprivation. You will just be taking care of yourself by not adding unnecessary empty calories.
14. GIVE YOURSELF A CHEAT DAY OR A CHEAT MEAL
Thinking that you can´t have this or that food will make you want it even more. So if you know that you will be able to eat it on Sunday (or the day you choose), will make it so much easier to control your cravings during the rest of the week.
Choosing a cheat day or a cheat meal willl depend on how much you intend to cheat and what your goal is. Don´t cheat too much or you will ruin all your week´s perfect behaviour.
15. STEP ON THE SCALE ONCE A WEEK
When it comes to weighing yourself it is great to do it once a week.
On one hand, it is counterproductive and not accurate to weigh yourself every day. It will only discourage you because of the “crazy” readings and you may get obsessed with your weight. Relax.
On the other hand, if you never control your weight, it will “misteriously” tend to creep up over time.
So, do it the same day (Sunday for example) every week, in the morning, after peeing and naked.
16. DON´T TURN A BAD MOMENT INTO A LOST DAY
It will happen that sometimes you will give in to cravings, drink a soda or get tempted by some treat at the office. Don´t think the day is lost and use it as an excuse to eat the entire fridge because you will go back to your healthy habits “tomorrow”.
You just tripped but you must get back on track immediately. No guilt. No problem. Back to your healthy plan.
17. IGNITE YOUR PASSION
Having sex can be very helpful when you are trying to lose weight. Not so much because of the extra calories burned but more for the hormonal and emotional components.
The endorphins released during orgasm will improve your mood, reduce stress and suppress your appetite.
The more you lose weight, the sexier and more confident you will feel and this will improve your intimacy.
Dream Weight For Life
Energetic Lady Entrepreneur 