Things You'll Need:
- Some rest and relaxation
- Some water
- A pen and notebook with which to dutifully copy every word (kidding)
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Step 1
REST:
"Yeah right, in what century?" you must be thinking. Very true: its not always possible to get enough rest or sleep when you're running around doing 50,000 things at one time.
Its really really really important, though, to schedule in some down time (even if its just 15 minutes during the day) to do something you really enjoy, or to just sit and do nothing for a little while.
There are countless research studies that suggest there's a link between the hormones that are released in our bodies when we're stressed and the body's tendency to hold onto extra fat for dear life - if we're in emergency mode all the time, its like our bodies are programmed to keep all the nutrients it can until we're out of "danger".
That can turn into a vicious cycle, because the more stressed out and busy, the less time to rest and stop the stress hormones so the more fat is stored.....ick.
I love getting up early in the morning - when its nice and quiet - to enjoy my cup of coffee...its the main part of my day that I dedicate the time to just relax. -
Step 2
DRINK MORE WATER:
I know you've heard this before -- but its worth hearing again, because drinking more water is one of the easiest (and cheapest) things to add to your routine!
Its a scientifically supported notion that drinking enough water throughout the day actually speeds up your metabolism. If you don't drink enough and get dehydrated, your metabolism actually slows down to compensate! You can burn more calories by drinking more water, and you don't even have to bat an extra eyelash!
You can think of it kind of like oil in a car engine -- without oil, the parts eventually screech to a halt and break down. When the engine is properly lubed, though, all the parts move more quickly and efficiently.
Water is essential for all of your bodily functions - and if you don't drink enough, your body just doesn't work like it should. A simple increase of water helps you burn extra calories without even trying! -
Step 3
WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK:
While we're on the subject of fluids, its really important to notice just how many extra calories you might be taking in without even realizing it!
Its amazing how many extra calories can easily get added in each day in the form of soda, sugary juices, alcoholic beverages, etc. Even replacing just one of these with a glass of water each day will make a huge difference in the long run!
On average, for example, a can of soda can have between 170-200 calories...add up how many times a day you drink these, and figure out how many calories you could easily cut per week!
If you drink milk -- good for you!! Milk is extremely important!!!!! One thing you can do to make it a little healthier, though, is just go down one milk-size -- so in other words, if you drink 2%, try out 1% to see if you might like it. -
Step 4
PORTIONS:
Another easy way to change your eating habits a little bit is to pay attention to how much you're eating at one time. Its especially difficult to do that, of course, when you're eating out at your favorite restaurant having your absolute favorite food after a long day that was so busy you skipped lunch.
Riiiight. But having said that, you can still be careful right up front just by making the decision before you even step into the restaurant to set aside a part of your dish to take home with you. That way, you're not eating too much at once, but you're still getting your money's worth by taking it home and making another meal out of it!
Its not like you have to divide your plate in half, necessarily...though typically restaurants do serve double portions especially at dinner-time. Lunch portions tend to be closer to an actual single portion (which is why they're also usually less expensive).
You can also make a conscious decision, for example, to not eat 4 dinner rolls before your actual dinner rolls out of the kitchen...just eat one, even if you're hungry. Just drink plenty of water while you're waiting, and chew slowly! -
Step 5
EAT SLOWER:
...aka chewing slowly. Yes, the century-old grandmotherly advice about chewing each bite a certain number of times absolutely has merit -- although you don't really have to count to 100 for each morsel.
That being said, you really should try to slow down when you're eating. I catch myself eating too fast all the time, an old habit that's hard to break.
If you eat slower, not only will you feel more full with less food, you'll also potentially avoid the common digestive issues that on-the-run people deal with every day (ex heartburn, indigestion, etc).
Eating slower also lets you add in more of that all-important resting time, and also allows you to enjoy your food! Who doesn't want to be able to do that? It also gives your brain the time it needs to tell you that its full...and that you don't really have room for that whole cheesecake! -
Step 6
EAT CONSISTENTLY:
Try not to make up for that piece of cake by skipping lunch, and try your best to eat at least a few flakes of cereal or something in the morning for breakfast...
There really is good evidence that suggests that eating regularly helps to keep your metabolism in gear, thus helping you to more efficiently and consistently burn those calories. If you skip a meal, and don't eat anything for a long stretch of time, your body can take that as a sign that food might be scarce for long time so it had better conserve what it has already.
In other words, your body clings to your stores of fat in case your next meal, like in caveman times, won't come along for quite some time. By eating more frequently, your body calms down and expects that there will be plenty of food so it shuts down that emergency-mode response and allows more fat to be burned.
So there is something to be said for eating some snacks during the day (of course, healthy snacks are probably better than 3 hunks of fudge every hour). Try some of those 100-calorie snack packs! -
Step 7
EAT WHAT YOU LIKE:
While we're on the subject of fudge (and any other essential indulgence), its important to eat what you like and not deprive yourself of foods you enjoy. Back to one of the earlier steps, you just need to be aware of your portion.
If you like fudge, have some. Can't live without a milk-shake? Go for it! Just make sure its a special treat, and that it doesn't make up the majority of your nutritional intake for the day. Its all about balance ...too much of anything is a bad thing.
If you keep yourself from eating some of your favorite treats, you may end up eating too much of something else, or binging when you reach your breaking point.
Remember that these tips are really about potential changes to your lifestyle -- can you really live without chocolate forever, from this day forward, without exception? That's crazy talk!! Just eat it in moderation. -
Step 8
NATURAL IS BEST:
Take a trip to the supermarket and you're hit in the head with 10,000 new diet foods, and no-fat this and that. If you choose wisely and selectively, some of these things can be a great way to make your meals healthier.
However, like I said before, too much of anything can be bad. You have to pay attention to what is in a certain product to make it fat free, calorie free, or "better" for you. Sometimes more chemicals and other additives are put in to compensate for a lack of other substances.
Really, the simpler the better -- fresh fruits and vegetables (when they're in season and you can get them at a good price, of course) are so much better for you to eat than food that's been processed.
Yeah, there may be a few more calories, but there are tons more natural vitamins and minerals in unprocessed foods. Organic foods are a good choice as well, although often more expensive. You can be more confident that these foods have had minimal contact with extra chemicals.
Some of those extra additives, preservatives and random chemicals could potentially do a number on your tummy depending on how sensitive it is. So when you can, go natural!
An extra tip: pick up any health magazine and you'll probably get a whole article on which nutrients, antioxidants, etc are in which fruits and vegetables! -
Step 9
EAT GOOD FATS:
That's right -- your body needs fat to function, case closed. The key is getting the right fat in, and avoiding the wrong kind of fat. Basically, as I said before, going natural is best.
I'm sure you've heard all about trans-fat and how its horrible. Yup, absolutely. Avoid it when you can! You can't always, and a little isn't necessarily horrendous...but try to keep it to a minimum. Today's food labels make it a lot easier to let you see which foods contain trans-fat, but you still have to be aware of what you buy. Also, go for foods that have more unsaturated fat then saturated. -
Step 10
OLIVE OIL AND NUTS:
The best way to get healthy fat in your diet is through olive oil (ex cooking a stir-fry dish in it) and various nuts (ex peanuts, almonds, walnuts etc).
Their health benefits are endless, and don't just end by any means with their fat...but its a big part! They contain essential nutrients which definitely power up your system.
So basically, eating too little fat in your diet actually keeps you from losing weight -- your body can't generate enough energy to burn more calories, and holds onto the fat you have in case it can't get any more! Eating healthy oils through olive oil and nuts helps you get the right kind of fat your body works best with. -
Step 11
ACTIVITY:
No, I'm not going to tell you that you must knock yourself out exercising 10 hours a day...but yes, being active is very important.
Regular physical activity is essential, but you can do that in many more ways than just staring at a boring wall in a gym (but of course, gyms are great places too - just not for everyone).
Taking a walk is a fantastic way of not only getting your exercise, but also taking some of that all-important relaxation time for yourself! You don't have to go very fast, but of course the more brisk the walk the more calories you'll burn.
You can get your walking in by going to the mall and walking around each level before you start shopping, or by parking your car at the very back of the mall parking lot so that you have to take some extra steps to get there and back!
Gardening is another great way to burn calories, and do something you might enjoy at the same time! I find it pretty cathartic to yank those weeds out of the ground (and pretend they're certain annoying people).
Anything that gets you up and moving on a regular basis counts as physical activity. Just make sure you're doing enough of it! Yes, its often recommended to moderately exercise (at the very least) 3 times per week for an hour each time...
A friend I know gave a good suggestion of something she's done - she wears a pedometer at work. At the end of the day she takes a look at how many steps she's taken all day. If its less than her goal amount, she'll go out and take a walk to make up the difference. -
Step 12
I hope this has helped!! :) Good luck!
Comments
Coach4U said
on 1/15/2009 This article is very well written and researched. Way to go!
CAMPHHS said
on 10/1/2007 I really enjoyed this artricle. Thanks for taking the time to share your words.
nauti said
on 8/25/2007 I liked this article! These are way reasonable tips that make sense and serve as stepping stones to more drastic changes that would otherwise be quite difficult in my opinion.
Thanks!
nauti*