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Weight
Wise Tips
Here are some lay
woman's tips to get in shape and cut down on
your weight. I'm not a nurse, a M.D., or a
nutritionist. I'm just a regular person,
who's in good shape, putting out some ideas.
1) Go see your doctor
and discuss a healthy plan for you to lose
weight and to get in shape. Your doctor
should tell you how many calories you should
have a day if you're trying to lose weight.
Have him/her check out your medical
condition before you begin a daily exercise
routine. If you already exercise regularly
your doctor might have you consume more
calories than someone who doesn't because
you need the energy. If you don't have
enough calories how can you exercise without
getting exhausted? You don't want to fall
down in a dead faint. The great thing about
counting calories is, you can stop yourself
from going over. And you can keep enough
calories for a healthy dessert. I love
low-fat plain yogurt with blueberries as a
dessert. The blueberries sweeten the yogurt.
Try it!
2) Eat a balanced
diet. Make a healthy meal plan for the week.
Go grocery shopping when you aren't
famished. You don't want to impulse buy
unhealthy snacks. Buy only what is on your
grocery list. Do not buy sodas or even diet
sodas. Don't rely on diet sodas to keep your
weight down. It's not a healthy habit. Check
with your doctor about the link between
habitual high intake of sugary sodas and
Diabetes.
3) If you plan to
go on a diet do it with a friend. Having a
friend's support will keep you motivated.
And you will be less inclined to give up on
your diet if you know you can't quit quite
so fast. And you'll have someone to share
and discuss the pitfalls of dieting. Two
minds are better than one for finding a
solution.
4) If you hate to
exercise, find a buddy to do it with. A
buddy will keep you committed. If someone
relies on you to walk with them twice a week
it will keep you going. Tuesdays you can
walk in your neighborhood; Thursdays you can
walk around hers. Or meet at the park and
walk around there. You can walk on you own
the other three days. Do not find excuses.
If you really want to lose weight and get in
shape you have to put in the effort. Take a
pair of sneakers to work and walk during
your lunch break. Now, if you can't find a
buddy; it's cold where you live; or you hate
to work-out at a fitness place, there are
programs now on the internet where you can
work-out to taped classes. I think it's
better than buying videos, because the
classes can vary, change and be updated.
With some classes you can hook your internet
to your T.V. and then work-out. If you don't
want to pay the money for internet classes
or a work-out place, you can do what a
friend of mine does. She walks around her
house after her husband goes to work. She
turns the T.V. on and does laps. She likes
this better than going on the treadmill or
stationary bike. And remember it's better to
exercise some, then not at all. But you
should start out slowly and not over due it.
You don't want to end up with an injury.
Note: I seriously suggest for walking you
wear sneakers and just not a random pair of
flats. This is because if you get blisters
you'll be less inclined to want to walk.
Find a walking shoe that doesn't squish your
toe and isn't too tight.
5) Don't weigh
yourself everyday. You might get bummed by
what you see. You don't want to discourage
yourself. That would be self defeating.
Rather weigh yourself weekly to see how you
are really doing.
6) Do you eat when
you're stressed? Instead of reaching for a
donut, cut up some fresh fruit that you like
and keep it in containers. Then when you get
stressed out at least you are reaching for
something healthy. Better yet, instead of
eating, retrain your brain. Go for a quiet
walk. Now instead of stress equaling eating,
its stress equals walking. Which is positive
step in the right direction. Personally, I
like walking. It helps me to calm down and
refocus.
7) Drink fluids
throughout the day. I find sometimes I'm not
really hungry, but rather thirty. If you
feel hungry instead of reaching for a bagel,
first have some water. At dinner drink a
glass of water first. It might fill you up
so you'll eat less. As for myself, I'm more
likely to drink water if it has a little
taste. So I squeeze a little fresh lemon in
it.
8) In the mornings,
switch from bacon and eggs to a bran cereal.
I find this fills me up. Find a bran cereal
you like. Don't buy a cheap one you aren't
keen about. You will be less inclined to eat
it. I put raisins in my cereal to sweeten it
up.
9) Do you like to
snack? I do! Have healthy snacks. Cut up
some fresh fruit or put berries in a bowl so
you can grab it fast. I'm not much on
vegetables, but I like them with a little
Humus. Cut up carrots, broccoli, celery or
any vegetable you like and put them in
containers for easy reach. Keep a fourth of
a cup measuring container handy to fill with
nuts and raisins. This way you won't go
overboard with such snacks.
10) Go light on
cheese, cream cheese and butter. Switch from
whole milk to 1% or 2%. Have low-fat yogurt.
Eat less fatty foods. Don't fry everything.
Also, try switching from vegetable oil to
olive oil when you can. I love potato wedges
baked in olive oil.
11) Get rid of chips,
cookies, candy and such from your cupboards.
If you have them in there they will be a
temptation. In a moment of stress, you don't
want to eat a stack of cookies.
12) Don't eat out of
boredom. If you need to have something in
your mouth, chew on half a stick of gum. Do
not take up smoking!
13) Stop eating when
you are full. Have smaller proportions. Use
salad plates for your meals. Dinner plates
can make smaller proportions look like you
don't have a full meal. Mentally you don't
want that.
14) Don't deny
yourself. If you stick to your daily calorie
plan you can a small amount of dessert. Have
half a cup of low fat ice cream. Even a cup
if you ate a balanced diet that day. Just
don't pack on the chocolate syrup, nuts and
whip cream.
15) Stop eating out!
Except on special occasions. And just
because it's Monday does not categorize this
day as a special occasion. Don't complain
and moan you can't lose weight if you eat
out three times a week and don't exercise.
Skip fast food places. And take-out. You'll
save money and it will trim your waist. And
remember to exercise! I can't say this
enough. I honestly don't think dieting alone
works. Do you always plan to be on a diet?
That doesn't seem sensible or healthy to me.
If you are on the go a lot, prepare enough
food for two or three dinners. Freeze the
extra meal or two for when you are too busy
to cook. This way you won't have an excuse
to eat out. But don't let the frozen meals
get freezer burn. Or you won't want to eat
them. Package them properly and don't keep
them in the freezer for long periods of
time.
16)
Reward yourself. Keep a monthly calendar to
show your weight and exercise progress.
Every week you lose a little weight and have
exercised, reward yourself. With the money
you saved from not eating out or buying
take-out anymore, buy yourself that face
cream you always wanted, but never did
because it was too expensive. Treat yourself
for a job well done! Remember, even if you
only lose a pound a week, after eight weeks
that's eight pounds. Plus, since you're
exercising now, it's more likely you'll keep
the weight off. |
