Weight Loss Success Tips
Who else made a New Year’s Resolution to go on a diet…again? Well, the best thing about that well intentioned decision is that it keeps us ever mindful to make healthy choices and take better care of our bodies, the down side is, we systematically set ourselves up for failure!
Most of us know that dieting can be “one step forward and two steps back” as we struggle to keep impossible eating regimens and work out routines.
“The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!” as they say, so we would like to share with you 12 Weight Loss Success Tips to make your new wellness program doable and sustainable this year.
Start off easy. When you restrict your calorie intake you alter your metabolism. As it slows down and goes into conservation mode you become less active and burn fewer calories. The kicker is, when you go off your strict eating program you can quickly gain the little weight you lost back…and then some! So we’re back to the drawing board to brave another battle of the bulge while the weight loss industry shows a few more billion dollars on their year-end financial balance sheet!
A “wise guy” once told me, “Hey, if you want to lose weight, don’t eat!” That simple yet profound advice made me realize that we all tend to make something harder than it really is. We do have to eat to nourish our bodies, and equally important, we have to Move! I believe the underlying advice given that day was to Cut Back!
I like the term Cut Back better than Diet anyway, don’t you? Let us use the Cut Back approach as we set out to make 2020 a successful year for healthy fitness and weight. Let’s start with monthly tips and I bet by the end of the year you will replace all your bad eating habits into healthy lifestyle changes, and after all, that is the key to long-term success.
Weight Loss Success Tips!
Start on the month that you begin your new healthy lifestyle plan.
January –Weight Loss Success Tips #1 : The Cut Back
Small Plate If you want to move forward…Cut Back! Try – and I mean really make a conscious effort – to cut everything you eat in half! We all know that the first week on any new eating program is challenging, not to mention frustrating with the sugar and carb withdrawals, so just eat what you normally eat but downsize it. For instance, only eat half of your cheeseburger half of the fries and half of your drink at lunch.
It might seem like a small gesture towards losing weight, but after a month of doing this you have cut all your calories in half. Your body remains unaware of any drastic changes as you gradually shrink your stomach and appetite, and you completely bypass the whole New Diet Blues!
February – Weight Loss Success Tips #2 : The Ban
Ban the junk food…Purge the pantry! Rid your cabinets, refrigerator, freezer, cookie jar, candy dish, desk, etc, from all tempting junk food! If you have a family that complains because all the treats are gone, just tell them you are cutting back on the grocery bill to save money for summer vacation! It’s never easy taking candy from a baby, but they will get over it! Out of sight, out of mind! You cut all your calories in half last month, now you are getting rid of the junk food this month. By now your jeans should be getting loose…or at least very comfortable!
March –Weight Loss Success Tips #3 : The Good Thing
Eating fresh and wholesome…It’s A Good Thing! Now that you have cut all your food portions in half and eliminated all the junk food, let’s add a fresh idea into your new lifestyle. You don’t have to get extreme and count every calorie you eat, just eat healthy. When you’re at the grocery store you should spend most of your time and money in the produce section, picking out fresh fruits and vegetables for salad fixings, stir-fry dinners, snacks, and even sweet treats! You will always stay fit and healthy by eating FRESH PRODUCE. Next is the meat and seafood department for fresh, lean protein your body needs. Last stop is the dairy section for wholesome milk, yogurt, cheese and eggs.
As far as the other twenty isles of packaged, processed and preserved food stuffs, bypass them altogether, there is nothing down there you need, anyway!
April – Weight Loss Success Tips #4 : The Burner
Turn up the heat… Melt the fat! By now your appetite is much smaller and you no longer eat junk food but healthy, nutritious foods. You have lost weight and your energy is up, just by making three adjustments over three months…Wow! Now we are ready to jump into Spring full force! This is the perfect time of the year to start walking.
Walking on a beautiful day, breathing in the fresh air, soaking up sunshine and beholding a majestic blue sky is the all time, number one cardio work out in the world!
Take it at your own pace and move. Yes…You Can…Just Do It!
May – Weight Loss Success Tips #5 : The Drink
Water is to the body… Like air is to the lungs!
Small portions, no junk snacks, nutritious foods, physical activity…You’re doing great! Now we hydrate. If you haven’t been drinking at least 48 oz. of water day, you must get serious about your intake now. Physical activity burns the fat but it also dehydrates the body. You must be sure to keep yourself properly hydrated or complications could arise. Nothing hydrates the body more perfectly than good, clean water. Not soda, not Gatorade…WATER!
June – Weight Loss Success Tips #6 : The Bomb
Dropping the Carbs…Dropping the Bomb!
You eat small portions, no bad snacks, only good food, walk every day, drink plenty of water, SO DO YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THE CARBS, TOO? Well, since June starts bikini season, I don’t think you will be gorging on bread sticks and spaghetti for dinner, especially since you look so good by now! Unfortunately, our bodies don’t need cereal, toast, muffins or bagels to survive! But if you are going to eat carbs make sure its smart carbs.
For example: Sweet potato instead of white potatoes, low sugar bran instead of high sugar corn cereal, sprout bread instead of regular bread, unsweetened iced tea instead of sugary drinks, etc…Is it a big thing to ask? Absolutely! Will you see big results? Positively!
July – Weight Loss Success Tips #7 : The Enlistment
You’re a Hottie in July…Get your friends on board! The best way to teach is by example. When you show up at the 4th of July party bring your own goodies to share. Start with marinated seasoned chicken breasts to throw on the grill instead of greasy sauce laden ribs. Have a bowl of warm whipped sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon and butter instead of potato salad. Sauté asparagus in olive oil with a pinch of salt and sesame seeds to replace baked beans for a delicious change of menu! I could go on with healthy alternatives, but let me be sure to say this, “Make A Lot!” Because everyone will want to eat your healthy cook-out creations!
August – Weight Loss Success Tips #8 : The Fruit Basket
Fruit and Cool, sweet and delicious…It’s Nature’s candy! I was 12 years old the first time I saw my mom cut a watermelon like an Easter basket and hollow it out so she could replace it with scooped melon balls of all kinds! Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew balls piled a mile high and sprinkled with raspberries, blackberries and cherries! Get the picture? What in the world is better than fresh fruit? Chop it up and store in the refrigerator for anytime snacking bliss! It’s Fruitastic!
September –Weight Loss Success Tips #9 : The Psych
Mirror, mirror on the wall…You are Lookin’ Good! For those of you with kids that have watched them tirelessly struggle to achieve something, what is your first mode of action? You encourage them, right? You tell them, “Hang in there, honey! Practice makes perfect. Just believe in yourself. You can do this. You are the most determined person I know. Keep trying and don’t give up!” Now you need to give your inner child that speech every day. It works! Be your own best friend and coach.
October – Weight Loss Success Tips #10 : The Mean Green Salad Lunch
Hungry and unsure? Eat a big salad! The fall is a challenging time to diet because now you are covered up in jeans and sweaters, not to mention it’s football season! Beer and hot wings grace the menu of champions, and after all, you have been watching your fitness all year, right? Well, I always say, compromise is better than defeat, so have a couple of wings along with a big salad stuffed with cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, black olives and all your favorite fixings. It’s OK to enjoy friends and outings. Drink Light. Drink Responsibly.
November – Weight Loss Success Tips #11 : The Cocktail Plate
“I wasn’t going to eat it…I was just going to taste it!” OK, you can have a dab of everything at Thanksgiving Dinner as long as you use a six inch cocktail plate! It really works because you can’t load up your plate. Why would you load up your plate in the first place? Because our eyes are ALWAYS bigger than our appetite! “It looks so good, surely I will eat every last morsel,”
Smaller plates always remind us of Tip #1: Cut Back. It is the main key for keeping fit and trim.
December – Weight Loss Success Tips #12 :The Holiday Goodies
It’s the season to celebrate…Have a cookie and hot tea! Unless you are on a strict diet for medical reasons, allow yourself to enjoy some treats on occasion so you don’t feel deprived and left out. This will help teach you self control in a satisfying way. For those of you that are veterans in the weight and fitness game, you know it’s about trying your best every day to make wise choices to live a healthier life.
For those of you that are fresh rookies on board, let me encourage you to be kind to yourselves. It’s not about a diet to reach a pant or dress size; it’s about a lifestyle to keep you healthy and fit. Remember, you are as beautiful as you feel!
