Try to weigh yourself only once a week. Your weight is going to fluctuate daily and won’t be as accurate of a measurement as weekly would be. If you see your weight not changing as much or going up from the previous day, you’re likely to get discouraged and quit with your routine before it can take affect.
Never go to a party hungry, even if dinner is included. If you eat a light snack with lots of fiber and a little protein and fat half an hour before, you will not be so hungry and the food won’t be quite so tempting. Feel free to try a little bit of everything, but only a little at a time so you can enjoy it without regret.
Drinking green tea several times a day can help you lose weight. In order to have the best effect, drink green tea at least four times a day. Not only does this “super tea” boost your immune system, it also boosts your metabolism and the rate that your body burns calories.
One weight-loss or weight-maintenance tip people have adopted is to change the size of their dishes and cutlery. We switched from the regular dinner plates to luncheon plates, and similarly, downsized our flatware to salad forks and teaspoons. As a result, our portions have become automatically smaller, and we eat less, but the plate still looks full. People who want more food, and who don’t need to lose weight, can take second helpings. But we’ve found that, psychologically, it is much more satisfying to be able to take a full plate of food, and have the freedom to eat it all, than to try to content ourselves with lonely little islands of food on large plates.
During your weight loss program if you get off track and eat something unhealthy or fattening do not punish yourself. Sometimes during holidays or special occasions you may consume foods that are not part of your plan. This is fine as long as you do not beat yourself up about it and move on. Punishing yourself will lead to falling back into old patterns of eating. Pick yourself up and keep a positive attitude when you make a bad food choice. Make better choices the next day or the next meal.
When you feel stressed, engage in an activity instead of relying on food as a source of comfort. Comfort food cannot take away your stress, but it can work against you later when you feel guilty about overeating and gaining those pounds. If you go out for a walk instead, it will curb your desire to seek comfort food, and you will work off calories at the same time.
Adding a variety of spices to your food can help you on your weight loss journey. One common complaint that many dieters share is they feel their food tastes too bland. Herbs are calorie-free and help to make any meal taste more flavorful. This means that you will consume more healthy foods and have less room for other items.
A great tip to help you lose weight is to leave the house and just go for a walk whenever you feel the urge to snack. Sometimes it’s just about distracting yourself when you’re hungry. Leaving the house and going for a walk is a great distraction from hunger.
When eating out, split your meal with a friend. The portions served in most restaurants are way too big for a person to consume alone. Get two plates so you can easily split the meal in half. You will eat less and save money as well.
Do not weigh yourself every day. There will be days when you might show a 2 pound gain, other days, when you show a 2 pound loss. That’s to be expected. But you don’t want to be discouraged by the “false loss”. Pick a certain time of day, and the same day of the week for your weigh-in.
Find a few simple go-to foods that you enjoy but fit in well with your diet to keep on hand at all times. It is very helpful to be able to look in your refrigerator and find something you can snack on or eat that will not break your diet.
As you can see, a lot of people want to lose weight. Some have success and get muscular, fit bodies for it. Everyone else will probably give up and be right back at square one. If you apply the tips in this piece, you can shed extra pounds and create a body others will envy.