Do you know you need to lose weight? And every time you try to
start a weight loss program, it's just too overwhelming. There's just
too much to do so you put it off.
If this sounds like you, I may have a solution. When a friend started her diet for the 19th time I helped her set up a whole new approach. We tackled one thing at a time, step by step. I helped her make one change a week. Then she only had one thing to focus on, integrating that change into her daily routine. This made each task manageable. This was her system.
Week 1- Every other day she committed to walking for 15 minutes. Exercise was always tough for her, so starting at 15 minutes gave her a chance to build her stamina. Each week she added a few more minutes, and over time she added more days.
Week 2- She added fruits and vegetables to her meals. By the end of the week she realized she was eating smaller portions of everything else as she filled up on fiber!
Week 3- This week was all about snacking. Every time she reached for a snack I had her stop and think about why she was eating. Was she really hungry, or was she in the habit of reaching for food? If she was hungry, she ate some fruit, saving the treat for her night-time tea.
Week 4- I suggested she add some protein to her breakfast of toast or a muffin and fruit. She put peanut butter on her toast or had a poached egg. She kept hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator for busy mornings. This helped her feel full longer so she wasn't starving by lunch time.
We kept going this way, giving her a chance to slowly make over her unhealthy bad habits for new better ones. There are so many ways to tweak bad habits for good ones:
Change out all breads, cereals and pastas for whole grain versions. Even hamburger rolls are widely available in whole grain. Skip the sugary cereal for one with at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
Change out meats and poultry for leaner cuts, including ground meat. Pay attention to serving sizes also, a serving should fit in the palm of your hand.
A salad with dinner every night is filling, and helps get all those vegetable servings in! Just keep a variety of dressings in the refrigerator so you won't get bored.
Save the treats for something really good. If the cookie isn't great, it's not worth the calories. A small serving of really good chocolate is much better than a king sized candy bar that's just okay.
Give up the soda! Diet or regular, it's not good for you. Start the change with sparkling flavored water, then after a few weeks of that, you can move on to seltzer.
So today my girlfriend is at a healthy weight. She strength-trains with resistance bands a couple times a week and takes a brisk 30-40 minute walk most days. She eats a healthy diet, and feels 100% better than before she lost the weight.
So, take things one step at a time and one day your body will thank you!
If this sounds like you, I may have a solution. When a friend started her diet for the 19th time I helped her set up a whole new approach. We tackled one thing at a time, step by step. I helped her make one change a week. Then she only had one thing to focus on, integrating that change into her daily routine. This made each task manageable. This was her system.
Week 1- Every other day she committed to walking for 15 minutes. Exercise was always tough for her, so starting at 15 minutes gave her a chance to build her stamina. Each week she added a few more minutes, and over time she added more days.
Week 2- She added fruits and vegetables to her meals. By the end of the week she realized she was eating smaller portions of everything else as she filled up on fiber!
Week 3- This week was all about snacking. Every time she reached for a snack I had her stop and think about why she was eating. Was she really hungry, or was she in the habit of reaching for food? If she was hungry, she ate some fruit, saving the treat for her night-time tea.
Week 4- I suggested she add some protein to her breakfast of toast or a muffin and fruit. She put peanut butter on her toast or had a poached egg. She kept hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator for busy mornings. This helped her feel full longer so she wasn't starving by lunch time.
We kept going this way, giving her a chance to slowly make over her unhealthy bad habits for new better ones. There are so many ways to tweak bad habits for good ones:
Change out all breads, cereals and pastas for whole grain versions. Even hamburger rolls are widely available in whole grain. Skip the sugary cereal for one with at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar.
Change out meats and poultry for leaner cuts, including ground meat. Pay attention to serving sizes also, a serving should fit in the palm of your hand.
A salad with dinner every night is filling, and helps get all those vegetable servings in! Just keep a variety of dressings in the refrigerator so you won't get bored.
Save the treats for something really good. If the cookie isn't great, it's not worth the calories. A small serving of really good chocolate is much better than a king sized candy bar that's just okay.
Give up the soda! Diet or regular, it's not good for you. Start the change with sparkling flavored water, then after a few weeks of that, you can move on to seltzer.
So today my girlfriend is at a healthy weight. She strength-trains with resistance bands a couple times a week and takes a brisk 30-40 minute walk most days. She eats a healthy diet, and feels 100% better than before she lost the weight.
So, take things one step at a time and one day your body will thank you!
by Michelle
[http://www.momscookingtoday.com]
http://fiftypoundsgone.blogspot.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Michelle_Murphy/236863
[http://www.momscookingtoday.com]
http://fiftypoundsgone.blogspot.com
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