Easy Ways To Lose Weight
Did you know that color can affect how much you want to eat? The color blue has been proven to be an appetite suppressant while red orange and yellow encourage eating. So pull out your blue plates for the next meal and stay away from the restaurants (you know which ones) that decorate in red, orange, or yellow.
There are so many easy ways to lose weight, and most of them are small things that you can do throughout each day to keep your weight down or lose additional pounds. There are 3 key categories of easy ways to lose weight, meal modification, exercising opportunities, and disciplined lifestyle changes. While each of these 3 key categories often overlap they are broken out in the paragraphs below for easy reference and implementation.
Easy ways to lose weight – Meal Modification
Simple changes in diet or in the schedule of meals can make a huge difference in weight loss. Below are several easy ways to lose weight you can start with right away to make a difference in your weight loss program.
- Eating smaller more frequent meals – this simple change has been proven to provide a boost to the metabolism while at the same time helping to regulate the blood sugar levels within the body. By eating two or three large meals a day the body is trained to store fat since it may be a long time before the next meal. Eating more frequently with smaller portions allows the body to constantly burn calories since digestion is a workout. This also helps kick the metabolism into gear with a steadier workload.- Use smaller plates at dinnertime- people tend to eat whatever is put in front of them. In fact I used to get in trouble for not “cleaning my plate” at dinner, however using a smaller plate will only allow smaller portions even though the plate is full of food.
- Use vegetables as fillers – using vegetables as part of the meal (in rice, or as a side) will provide a low calorie substantial filler to replace the need for something else like macaroni and cheese, or chips.
- Eat cereal for breakfast – starting the day off with a bowl of cereal will not only kick start your metabolism for the day but studies have shown that people who eat cereal for breakfast are less likely to become obese or struggle with diabetes than those who don’t. Choose a cereal that is naturally sweet and high in fiber for the best results.
- Enjoy your food by eating slowly – making an effort to eat slowly and drink water in between bites is another of many easy ways to lose weight. The brain does not receive the signals of fullness for up to 20 minutes after the body has had enough to eat so eating slowly will allow your brain to catch up and tell you to stop before you have eaten too much.
Easy ways to lose weight – Exercising Opportunities
Exercising does not always mean you have to start going to the gym. Begin your exercise plan around the house with some aerobics or a walk around the neighborhood. Work yourself up to a consistent schedule of activity that you can maintain daily.
- Skip the television show and take a walk – walking will make you feel healthier but also will burn calories. Taking a 45 minute walk (about 3 miles) can burn 300 calories a day or more if you jog partway.- Find a sport – taking up an outdoor sport or hobby will help you get out of the house and active at least a couple times a week. Tennis, basketball, or rollerblading are all good choices but be creative and make sure it is something you will enjoy doing outside.
- Take the stairs – another one of the many easy ways to lose weight is to simply use the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Depending on how many times you go from floor to floor you may get your stair-master workout without going to the gym!
- Exercise your mind – positive thinking regarding your activity and weight loss will go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals. Maintain a positive outlook and stay away from negative people or influences that may try to derail your progress.
Easy ways to lose weight – Disciplined Lifestyle Changes
Much of losing weight is about finding the system that works for you and sticking to it. While one diet plan worked for someone you know it may or may not work for you as well. Different body types respond differently and your personal motivations will vary the amount of success you may find with one program over another. The key is to find something simple that works for you and stick with it- even small changes can make a big difference over time.
- Plan your meals in advance – disciplined scheduling of home cooked meals will ensure that the food you eat is good for you. Using a crock pot can be a lifesaver and there are many good recipes that can incorporate the healthy foods like vegetables into your daily plan.- Cut out needless snacking – “lock up” the cupboards at night and keep from snacking on sweets and high fat foods in the evenings. If you are not hungry grab a bottle of water instead of a soda or candy bar.
- Order smaller portions – if you do need to go out for a lunch or dinner try ordering the smallest portion available. Most restaurants today serve more food than should be consumed at one time, try the smallest size and substitute that soda for a water.
- Stay away from partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) such as that used in most soda and sweetened items has been linked to turning off the mechanism that let’s you know your getting full. Partially hydrogenated oils are hard for the body to digest and should be avoided.
- Commit to the plan – once you start making progress get rid of your old clothes that fit loosely or not at all. Once you make some progress there is no going back without buying new clothes and this can be the motivation some need to continue on.
- Document food intake – documenting food intake has been known to reduce the amount of calories eaten in a day. By monitoring your intake you will also have your record in black and white- use it to make improvements on the next day’s meal planning.
Come up with your own easy ways to lose weight and incorporate them into your daily lifestyle. You will find that with a few adjustments to some of the things you are already doing the weight will begin to come off and you will feel healthier and have a sense of accomplishment in the new you.