This is what I've read at ivillage.com...
5 Ways to Make Weight Loss Easier
Don't we all long for a lifestyle that makes weight loss easy? I don't think the effort is ever easy, but it can be made easier by following a few easy concepts.
We all need as much help as we can get, when it comes to making weight loss more manageable. Here are 5 tips for making weight loss easier:
1. Focus on what you CAN eat, instead of what you need to limit. Avoid deprivation by choosing lots of high fiber/high water foods - like fruits and veggies - that help you stay fuller longer. Foods with abundant fiber and water give you more volume, without adding extra calories.
2. Get enough sleep. When you're sleep deprived, you tend to eat more, to "feel more energized". Also, you're more likely to lose mental focus and discipline from fatigue (well, fried zucchini IS a vegetable after all). Aim for 7 hours nightly - and power nap on days you can't. If you're routinely getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night, it's time to evaluate your life balance.
3. Learn to eat for hunger, not the clock. This is a tough one, and forces us to get back in touch with our biology. Figure out if you're a 3 times a day eater, or feel more comfortable dividing those 3 meals into mini-meals of 6 times a day. Avoid meal skipping, which makes you over-hungry for the next meal. Pace yourself, and avoid eating to the point of being "stuffed". Aim for contentment, knowing that you could eat more.....but will choose to do it later.
4. De-stress before you eat. Most of us don't have time for stress-reducing classes - even more to pack into one day! Try to relax before eating, to avoid gobbling down everything in site when you do eat - the dreaded mindless eating. If you take a minute or two before eating - you can gain control and mental focus before the meal - and whether it's a few deep breaths, or a short walk, or a phone chat - you've made a transition to your meal. That can only help your mealtime control.
5. Limit processed foods. Convenience foods may be easy, but are often loaded with hidden fat (and calories!), and loads of salt. While extra salt can give you temporary weight change on the scale - both "gain" (more salt) or "loss" (less salt), looking at the salt content of packaged products is a hint to the high calorie ingredient to which high salt is often linked - fat. Choose less processed foods - and limit both calories, salt, and fat. Convenience can be found in some calorie controlled products. Read the labels to be an informed consumer.
We all need as much help as we can get, when it comes to making weight loss more manageable. Here are 5 tips for making weight loss easier:
1. Focus on what you CAN eat, instead of what you need to limit. Avoid deprivation by choosing lots of high fiber/high water foods - like fruits and veggies - that help you stay fuller longer. Foods with abundant fiber and water give you more volume, without adding extra calories.
2. Get enough sleep. When you're sleep deprived, you tend to eat more, to "feel more energized". Also, you're more likely to lose mental focus and discipline from fatigue (well, fried zucchini IS a vegetable after all). Aim for 7 hours nightly - and power nap on days you can't. If you're routinely getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night, it's time to evaluate your life balance.
3. Learn to eat for hunger, not the clock. This is a tough one, and forces us to get back in touch with our biology. Figure out if you're a 3 times a day eater, or feel more comfortable dividing those 3 meals into mini-meals of 6 times a day. Avoid meal skipping, which makes you over-hungry for the next meal. Pace yourself, and avoid eating to the point of being "stuffed". Aim for contentment, knowing that you could eat more.....but will choose to do it later.
4. De-stress before you eat. Most of us don't have time for stress-reducing classes - even more to pack into one day! Try to relax before eating, to avoid gobbling down everything in site when you do eat - the dreaded mindless eating. If you take a minute or two before eating - you can gain control and mental focus before the meal - and whether it's a few deep breaths, or a short walk, or a phone chat - you've made a transition to your meal. That can only help your mealtime control.
5. Limit processed foods. Convenience foods may be easy, but are often loaded with hidden fat (and calories!), and loads of salt. While extra salt can give you temporary weight change on the scale - both "gain" (more salt) or "loss" (less salt), looking at the salt content of packaged products is a hint to the high calorie ingredient to which high salt is often linked - fat. Choose less processed foods - and limit both calories, salt, and fat. Convenience can be found in some calorie controlled products. Read the labels to be an informed consumer.
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