There’s a universal truth about losing weight: it’s not easy. But it can be done, and it’s not really about dieting. This is how you do it:
STEP 1: PREPARE YOUR BRAIN
Your attitude is just as important to your success as the way you eat and exercise. Ask yourself, what is your motivation to lose weight? Is it bikini season? Is it to please a guy/girl you’re dating? If so, reconsider things. Once people reach a short-term goal like that, they tend to fall back into their old habits and gain the weight back. Instead, focus on several small steps, like exercising three times a week or eating breakfast every day, and one long-term goal, like “I want to feel and look healthy.” Small victories will keep you motivated as you give yourself the time you need to reach your ultimate goal.
Next, ask yourself if your expectations are realistic. No one earns a stone in three weeks, so why would you expect to lose that amount so quickly? Expecting more dramatic weight loss only sets you up for discouragement and failure.
Finally, review your past mistakes. Think about all the diets you’ve tried and what happened. It’s hard to recognize bad habits or illogical thought processes while you’re doing them. But once they’re in the past, they’re easier to identify and modify.
STEP 2: KEEP A JOURNAL
Start your diet by writing down what you eat, including how much you ate, what time you ate it, and how you felt. This is a real eye opener for people who think they eat healthy but can’t lose weight. Some realize they are eating because they are bored, stressed or hungry, others are eating out of habit. If you’re on your computer like I am, use Wordpad, your phone, or a small notebook to keep track. Then you can really see for yourself if you’ve been “a good girl/boy”.
STEP 3: SEE WHAT TO EAT
You can start by reducing or eliminating fast/junk food and eating healthier things like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and replacing sugary cereals with high-fiber cereals. It was hard for me to give up sweets, but that doesn’t mean you should give up sweets. At the end of the week, you might treat yourself to a piece of apple crumble because you’ve been disciplined and you should never deprive yourself because you could overeat again.
STEP 4: LEARN HOW MUCH TO EAT
Most people eat more than their body actually requires and complain that they are “too full.” I know several friends who work 9 to 5 and most of them skip breakfast only to eat more at lunch and eat too much before dinner. Try to have a daily routine and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to finish what’s on your plate. Eat to satisfy your hunger, not until you are too full.
STEP 5: TEACH WHEN TO STOP
Spend at least 15 minutes at each meal. Take moderate bites, chew them completely, and pause between bites to see how full you are. Give your stomach a chance to tell your brain that it’s had enough.
STEP 6: EAT BREAKFAST
People don’t eat in the morning because they think it will save calories. But breakfast prevents you from becoming hungry and making poor food choices as a result. Also, if you don’t eat within two hours of waking up, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. A good option? One tortilla filled with vegetables, one piece of fruit, half a cup of low-fat yogurt, and two slices of toasted whole wheat bread. Proteins and fats keep you full because they take a long time to digest and carbohydrates give you energy.
STEP 7: BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR DRINKS
I have a friend who was consuming 800 calories a day just from drinking soda. That soon adds up to a lot. Alcohol is another no-no, at least for the first few weeks of healthy eating.
STEP 8: ACTIVATE
Start slowly. Exercise for 10-20 minutes three times a week, then add five minutes each week. Work up to 45-60 minutes of cycling, brisk walking, running, aerobics, or other cardiovascular exercise five to seven days a week for maximum weight loss. Once your cardio becomes a routine, add two 20-minute sessions of strength (weights) training per week.
STEP 9: DON’T STOP EATING
When people start to notice weight loss, many are tempted to speed things up by further cutting calories or skipping meals. But that can send you into starvation mode. Your body will hold on to the food and your metabolism may drop by 20%. Have dessert once in a while too. Avoiding everything sweet (or salty) only leads to binge eating or exhaustion. No food should be completely off limits.
STEP 10: BE FORGIVENESS AND MOVE ON
So you had a piece of cake. And it was huge. Instead of getting mad at yourself, get back to being good right away. Women often think, “I screwed up, I’ll start again tomorrow,” but you need to get back on track with the next meal, not the next day. The extra calories you ate will barely affect your weight, if that’s where you end up.
Women who lose weight and stay slim are those who continue to exercise regularly long after they lose pounds. Successful slimmers also say they occasionally go back to the tricks that got them there: portion control and using a food journal. From time to time, we all need these tools to get us through a stressful period or buffet-filled vacation. These are good clothes that you should keep for life.
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