You do not have to turn your life around 180 degrees, to achieve your weight loss goals. There are simple compromises you can make to your everyday eating habits, that will make a huge difference:
Five Easy Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss
1. Water down fruit juice
Do not get me wrong, fruit is good, but you are better off eating the whole fruit for fiber and other nutrients. Fruit juice gives you energy, and is a delicious addition to a hearty, healthy breakfast. However, by watering down your juice, you can save up to 100 calories a serving. It does not seem like much at a glance, but over the course of a month, you will lose one pound!
2. Switch to Diet Pop
This is a common suggestion but it is a really helpful one. If you drink two cans of pop a day, you are consuming 300 calories, mostly in sugar! Switching to diet will help you to lose 2-3 pounds in a month, and lower your sugar intake drastically. This is an important step not only to weight loss, but anybody wanting to improve their health and well being. A can of pop can contain up to 60 grams of sugar! This may give you energy for thirty minutes, but ultimately, who needs a sugar crash, and possibly even a headache, mid way through the day?
3. Eat Treats in Halves
Instead of overloading your body with a bag of candy at the movies, or being stuffed to the gills at a restaurant, save half for later. This technique coincides with the 5-6 small meal a day approach. This gives your body a chance to digest food in smaller amounts. Even if it is unhealthy, your metabolism will not have to work as hard, and will continue to work quickly, contributing to weight loss. Plus, you have a snack for later!
4. Do not Buy Large Quantities to Save Money
Instead of buying one chocolate bar, it is sometimes tempting to buy a package of three, or even five, to save a few dollars. It is easy to think at the time, that you will make them last. Is this realistic though? If you have a craving that is fine, by all means satisfy it. However, having additional junk food around the house, after the craving has been tamed, will only tempt you to indulge again, when you are bored, or looking for a quick snack. You are better off just buying one!
5. Make What you Need to Feel Content, Nothing More
I hate wasting food, and I know a lot of people feel the same way. If you tend to make a lot of food, just to use up ingredients, then chances are, you will feel obligated to eat it all before it goes bad. Try not to fall in to this trap. Use bulk stores, and invest in good Tupperware to preserve food longer. Only buy what you need to feel content. Eating an extra 200 calories a day, to finish leftovers will add a pound worth of calories a month.
Lose weight slowly, and by making healthy changes to your existing meal plan, and lifestyle. Little tweaks in your diet will go a long way!
