No two people have the same body, and no two people lose weight the same way. This is a good thing, though, since there are a lot of ways to lose weight. If you’re looking to lose a few pounds, give some of the following ideas a try:
• Keep track of your food intake: It’s very easy to eat more than you realize. Keeping a food diary for a few days can be a real eye-opener. Carry a pad and a pen around with you and write down everything, even that handful of M&M’s you snuck from your co-worker’s desk. You’ll notice some extras that can be left out of your diet pretty quickly.
• Skip the soda: Colas and other fizzy drinks are chock full of empty calories. They’re so easy to slurp down that you can easily add an extra 500 calories to your day without thinking about it. Diet sodas aren’t much better – artificial sweeteners don’t do much to help your health. Instead, sip on cool water with a splash of lemon.
• Watch out when dining out: This one is a biggie. Restaurants like to give out huge portions of food – don’t let them fool you! You’re not at your mother’s table, so there’s no obligation to clear your plate. Instead, have half your meal wrapped up before it’s even served. That way you can enjoy it for two meals instead of cramming it all into one.
• Get all of the big three: Carbohydrates, proteins, fats… it seems that at one time or another each of these macronutrients has been vilified. Don’t fall for it! In order for your body to function properly you must get adequate amounts of all three. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of carbs, lean meats like turkey and some fish will fill you up on protein, and rich foods like olive oil and some nuts will give you lots of healthy fats.
• Get out of your chair: Not all ways to lose weight have to do with diets. Exercise is a crucial component. Take time to move around every hour, even when you’re at work. Even something as simple as walking to talk to a co-worker instead of emailing or phoning them counts. If you’re so swamped that you can’t take a five minute break, try doing leg lefts at your desk to get your blood moving.
• Enjoy movement: There are very few people who actually like slogging it out at the gym. If you’re a member of the gym-adverse majority, don’t worry! Find something you like to do and pursue that. This can mean hiking, playing volleyball at the beach, or even mowing the lawn (no, riding mowers don’t count). If you like it you’re more likely to stick with it, so don’t make yourself do things you hate.
• Don’t over-analyze: If you’re taking advantage of some of these ways to lose weight, you might get the urge to jump on the scale every morning. This is natural, but don’t give in! Body weight fluxuate from day to day, so just because you weigh more this morning than yesterday doesn’t mean you’ve messed up. A weekly weigh-in will keep you updated on your progress without worrying you with false numbers.
These are just a few of the hundreds of ways to lose weight that you can employ. Some of these tips may work for you and some of them might not. That’s okay! Experiment a bit to find out what works best for your body and go from there. While it won’t happen overnight, once you find what works for you it won’t be long before you start seeing results.
