All over the world people are looking for tips and tricks that can help them with their ongoing struggle to lose weight. The truth is, there isn’t really a “trick.” It’s more like a consistent way of life, lots of small, healthy habits, and persistence. Can you get on board with that? If you’re here, the answer is probably yes. Here are some simple things you can do to speed up the process and slowly add healthier habits into your routine:
If you are determined to lose weight, you have got to stick with it. Nothing great was ever achieved without some effort, and possibly a sacrifice here and there. Don’t worry if you think it is taking too long. Time goes by very quickly in our busy world, so before you know it, you will be where you want to be. The time will pass anyway, so make use of it to create a better and healthier you.
Reward yourself when you achieve major goals. It is a time tested psychological trick to give yourself small treats as a reward when you achieve something significant. Losing your first five pounds is a vital landmark, for example, so go and visit your favorite restaurant to celebrate. Of course you need to practice some restraint when you get there, but you are more likely to do this when you are full of satisfaction after reaching a significant goal!
Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. There are few calories in salad (and the ones in there are healthy calories), but plenty of water and nutrients. Salad will allow you to eat decent sized meals and not feel hungry, but reduce the number of empty calories you take in. This can be extremely beneficial, as most people who are struggling to lose weight will find that their calorie intake is too high.
If you take sugar in tea or coffee, replace it with a natural sweetener like honey, get rid of the sweetener altogether (un-sweetend tea & coffee can become a favorite before you know it), or if you just can’t drink either without some sweetness, try to cut down on the number of cups you drink. Many people find themselves routinely drinking five or six cups of coffee or tea a day, and if each cup has sugar in it, you are taking in an extra couple of hundred calories you don’t need. You can take these two hundred calories in a healthier form, or cut them out altogether to help you lose weight.
Last but not least, add more physical activity into your life even on days when you can’t or don’t want to work out. This can mean walking or biking to work or to run errands. If you take the bus, get off a stop or two early. If you have to drive, park further away from your destination. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Squeeze a 30 min walk into your schedule – you’ll be surprised by how easy it will be to fit this in! If you’re feeling really ambitious, make it a jog or a run instead of a walk. These simple steps into physical activity will make a big difference over time and make you more capable of adding intense exercise into your life to help you shed pounds and tone up even faster!
