Weight Loss Basics

  Moderation and consistency - cliché but key

In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter whether you burn calories through exercise or limit them through diet (and I mean that as in healthy eating, not following an unsustainable crash diet.

But use a combination of both and the weight will really start coming off. In the beginning it may feel like it’s taking forever but eventually you’ll be down thirty pounds and marvel at how the time flew by and the weight flew off.

Depending on how much time you can dedicate to weight loss you may start out with a full three day cardio and two day weight training plan or you may simply begin by adding a few more steps when you can squeeze them in and cutting out that extra glass of wine after work. Small changes work if you give them time and continue adding other small changes.


Best weight loss tips - food

• Water - Thirst can be mistaken for hunger, so before you open the cupboard try drinking a glass of water. If you’re hungry in 20 minutes you’ll know you need food. Speaking of water, the next time you’re thirsty pour yourself some calorie-free H2O instead of soda or even fruit juice. (You’ll save 100 calories each time)
• Soup or salad starters - Filling up on a cup of broth based soup or a small salad before a meal can help you eat less of the main course.
• Food diary - Many people find keeping track of what they eat is a good way to avoid extra calories.
• Graze - As long as you do it in a healthy way, eating small snacks and meals throughout the day can keep you from becoming ravenous and polishing off a 1,000 calorie meal when you finally give in to the hunger. Think fruits, veggies and yogurt or a small amount of nuts.
• Don’t over-restrict calories - If your body doesn’t receive enough calories it will start to hoard them, thinking hard times are on the way. Don’t cut calories unnecessarily!
  

• Small steps add up - You’ve heard it before, but it’s true. Little bits of exercise throughout the day can really add up. You just have to do the math. If it takes you a minute to walk the stairs to your office or apartment and you do it four times a day, five days a week, you’ll burn about 200 calories. Walk to the corner store instead of driving, do a few calisthenics during commercials - it all adds up. You just have to be sure to stay consistent.
• Build muscle - As women age their metabolism begins to slow. But because eating habits and activity levels often stay the same, the pounds can sneak up. A metabolism drop isn’t something you have to resign yourself to. It’s actually caused by muscle loss, which is easy enough to fix. With four months of consistent strength training some women can add three to five pounds of muscle, which will help the body burn about 200 more calories per week (and that’s not including the calories burned during the workouts).
• Make exercise appointments - It’s easy to think about being active all day without actually doing it. Sign up for a group aerobics class with a friend or schedule time with a personal trainer and you’ll have someone other than yourself to answer to. It’s a lot easier to get into the fitness habit when you’ve made commitments.