I will start by recognizing the typical “calories in, calories out” schpeil. Yes, to lose weight you have to eat well and exercise. But there is much more to it than that, and I don’t want to spend time regurgitating ideas you’ve heard before. That brings me to the first point:
Drink 8 glasses of water everyday
The first thing you should do after your feet touch the floor in the morning is head straight for the kitchen and pour yourself at least 12 ounces of fresh, cold water. Water will "cleanse" your body after an overnight fast, helping you feel refreshed and alert. This is a great way to set the tone for a healthy day! And a start like that helps you make the right decisions about what you're going to have for breakfast and whether you'll make it to the gym. It will also give you a better workout, since you'll feel more hydrated. Good hydration also keeps your joints flexible, which may reduce your risk of injury, so you can keep moving. Finally, a big glass of water will start filling you up so you won't overeat at breakfast -- it helps make you a better judge of your own satiety.
Include a source of fat and/or protein at every meal and snack.
For many people, eating just carbs for a meal or snack never gives them a feeling of being satisfied. That's because simple carbs don't have staying power: fat and protein slow down the insulin/glucose response, keeping your blood sugars level, promoting satiety, and helping you stay on track the rest of the day. Try some almond butter or a handful of nuts with your apple, a hard-boiled egg with your raisin bran, or some hummus with your pretzels. And of course, plan your meals and snacks in advance.
Eat negative calorie foods
In order to feel full I eat cucumbers, because it gives fibers and is considered a negative food. Negative calorie foods aren't completely void of calories. Negative calorie foods are foods that use more calories to digest than the foods themselves contain. The body has to work harder to process these foods; therefore, they are natural fat burners. Negative calorie foods are high in water content, which is one reason the caloric intake is low. (see mervmail - Negative Calorie Foods 02/01//11)
Write down specific goals.
Include times, dates, and other details.
Change them to keep them fresh, and adjust them as you meet your older goals.
For example, "I will fit into my skinny jeans in 60 days" or "By
November 30, I will no longer eat in front of the TV" or "I will be
up to 12,000 steps a day by January 15."
It's harder to kid ourselves about what it takes to do something specific than what it takes to do something general. For example, if your goal is to be able to run five miles by June 1st, it's very hard to delude yourself into thinking that being up to 2 miles by May 15th will work. But if your goal were less specific - for example, to "run more often," you would have a much easier time convincing yourself you're doing well when you're really not. Being more specific helps you to plan more effectively and better understand how you're doing, both of which are powerful allies in reaching your goals.
It's harder to kid ourselves about what it takes to do something specific than what it takes to do something general. For example, if your goal is to be able to run five miles by June 1st, it's very hard to delude yourself into thinking that being up to 2 miles by May 15th will work. But if your goal were less specific - for example, to "run more often," you would have a much easier time convincing yourself you're doing well when you're really not. Being more specific helps you to plan more effectively and better understand how you're doing, both of which are powerful allies in reaching your goals.
If you go "off" your diet, forgive yourself and move on.
Maybe you indulge in one too many glasses of wine at a dinner party, and this leads to having a big rich dessert... or two... Don't hate yourself in the morning. Drink a big glass of water (see above) to clean your slate, and start over.
One diet slip-up is not going to make a difference in the long run. Of course, daily blunders are no longer occasional... truly infrequent indulgences may actually help prevent burnout and give you some reprieve against a too-strict mindset. If you punish yourself or wallow in self-loathing because you didn't stick to your plan, you risk overall diet failure. We are human. We err. Keep the big picture in mind and try harder next time. In fact, I would recommend to have one “off” day a week!
Make the small changes
This is a pretty common tip: giving up what most diets say you should give up (soda, coffee, beer, caffeine, etc.) just make healthier decisions. I didn’t want to give anything up, so I decided to make small changes instead. The first switch I made was switching to diet soda. Don’t worry, you’ll quickly get used to the flavor. The second switch I made was to giving up diet soda, and switching to ice tea. The last minor switch I made was to become “healthy” and drink only water. Occasionally I will still have a diet coke or ice-tea, so I am able to still enjoy a healthy social life while maintaining my diet.
Schedule your workouts
Finding the time to get to the gym can be very difficult. For me it was the mornings that I was able to go to the gym before my family “interfered” or my busy work schedule. It’s like any other routine, that need to be scheduled as a part of your day. Also, I found working out in the morning there are less changes that other last minute situation interfere from going to the gym.
These are just some personal
tips that have helped me in the past.
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