Lose Weight The Right Way

Losing weight is never easy. Keeping it off is even harder. You can lose weight by dieting but you can only keep it off if your change your way of thinking and eating-permanently. Let's admit it- everyone tries to lose weight at some point in their life. I have. Many, many times! From those many attempts I have learned one crucially important thing: If you want to lose weight, dieting won't do it. What diets have you tried? The cabbage soup diet, The South Beach Diet, The Adkins Diet, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, low carb diets, low fat diets, liquid diets, diet pills, or starvation? Any of these diets, and many others I can't think of right now, will help you lose weight. However, they will not help you keep the weight off unless you follow the diet for the rest of your life. Only one "diet" will help you lose weight and keep it off. That is the diet where you change the way you eat and live forever. There are many simple tricks and strategies I have learned over the years to do just that-lose weight and keep it off.

Know what to eat.
The USDA has established the Food Pyramid to help us with what we should be eating. The five basic food groups are now the six basic food groups. The general rule of thumb is that most of the food we eat should come from the outer perimeters of the grocery store and we should stay away from the inner aisles. The outer perimeters contain the meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. The inner aisles are full of junk.

Eat fresh.
If it comes in a box or a can, you probably should not eat it. All of these foods come with additives and preservatives that are simply not good for you.

Put down the fork.

What I mean is 'are you really hungry'? Is your stomach growling or cramping or are you nauseated? Or are you just bored or sad or anxious? Most people eat not because they are hungry but because it's a habit or they are letting their emotions get the best of them.

Less is more.
Cut your portions and don't go back for seconds. Our body, namely our stomachs grow accustom to eating large portions because the more food put into the stomach the more the stomach stretches. Surprisingly, a portion is usually about the size of the palm of your hand.

Eat slow.

The slower you eat, the less food you will consume. Why you say? Because, it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to say "I'm full". If you scarf your food down then your stomach won't send the signal to your brain in time that says "Stop!" and you will end up feeling bloated and miserable.

Lay off the soda.
Do you realize how much sugar is in those things? That's sugar you could definitely do without. Besides, have you seen what a cola can do to rust and corrosion? It's like battery acid. Your stomach will thank you.

Don't be lazy.
Move more. Take the stairs. Park farther away from the store or work. Turn off the tv and go for a walk. Spend more time walking and less time driving. Mow the lawn. rake the leaves. Get involved in community activities or a sport. Be more active!

Ask for help.

Tell your friends and family your trying to lose weight. A little encouragement goes a long way.

Skip the chips.

Eat more fruits and vegetables and less potato chips and candy bars. So you say your don't like fruit and vegetables. There has got to be at least one or two fruits or vegetables you could eat. Experiment. Try something new. You never know. Your new favorite food could come in the form of a fruit or vegetable.

Water, water, water.
It's just good for the body. You should drink 8-10 glasses a day. But, hey, one is better than none.

You can still eat out.
Eat healthy when eating out. Just make better choices. Choose grilled instead of fried. Opt for whole wheat or whole grain. Eat half and save the rest for later. Choose fruit or vegetables instead of potatoes or fatty sides. It's o.k. to ask for alternatives.

Don't eat the whole thing.
If you order dessert, share it with someone. Or, even better, take only two bites. The first bite is to taste and the second bite is to savor. That's all you really need. What you don't need is all those calories.

No gravy, please.
Fat and oils you could do without. Leave off the gravy, butter, oils, and dressings. Or, at least, use them sparingly. There is a lot of fat and calories in those that you don't need.

Eat more but less.
Eat several (5-7) smaller meals throughout the day. You be less likely to get hungry because your stomach will have food in it more often. These meals should be small, like a few carrot and celery sticks, half a sandwich, tuna on lettuce, or an apple. It's not that hard to do. Keep snacks in your purse or your desk or briefcase or whatever. Just keep them handy and grab one every few hours.

Read the label.
Learning to read nutrition labels is probably the best thing you can do to help yourself lose weight and eat healthy. Find out how much fat, calories, and sugars are in the foods you are eating.

Go low fat.
Switch to low fat, no fat, reduced fat foods. Many foods (cheese, milk, sour cream, even potato chips) have lower fat alternatives.

Talk to your doctor.

You should always talk to your doctor before changing your diet drastically. First of all, you need to know if your healthy enough to diet. Second, your doctor can be very helpful in your quest to lose weight.

Stay off the scale.
Don't weigh yourself every day. You're just setting yourself up for disappointment. In the first 1-2 weeks you are going to lose a lot of water weight, not fat weight. Plus, you may gain a pound here and there due to water weight.

Don't deprive yourself.
It's o.k. to have that brownie or cupcake every once in a while. If you deprive yourself of sweets altogether, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Just don't overdo it. Have a dessert or salty snack occasionally, not every day.

Lastly, don't be so hard on yourself. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Good luck!