Weight Loss Article
You don’t always have to make big changes to loose weight. Even the small changes can bring about some big results.
Weight is all about numbers and here is the simple rule - it takes 3,500 calories to build a pound. If you manage to reduce your consumption by just 100 calories every day for one year you’ll end up reducing 10 pounds in one year. It does not matter whether you bring about this deficit by eating less or exercising, you just need to reduce the calories.
You must realize that going on a diet that makes you give up everything that you like isn’t going to last forever. You need to make small changes and this is often the only way to bring about results.
While starting off with your weight loss program you should take some time and write down everything that you are eating. Only after analyzing your consumption should you look to bring about changes. These changes can go a long way and can easily cause weight loss of 5, 10, or even 15 pounds in one year.
Some of the changes that you can consider include:
- Stop taking whole-milk products and you should instead have skim-milk products. If you have three servings in a day you’ll end up reducing 200 calories a day. This means 20 pounds in one year.
- Minimize butter and margarine consumption. Instead of oil you can use applesauce in recipes. You can also try fat free butter-flavored spreads or sprinkles (but only if you are not watching salt). You’ll get to drop at least 10 pounds by reducing just one pat of butter in your morning toast.
- Soups, gravies and stews should be chilled and the fat that floats should be skimmed off. This in itself can help in saving 100 calories per serving.
- Instead of bacon, use Canadian bacon or prosciutto. Use extra-lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey. When you buy beef only buy the one labeled "select" as it has less fat. Always remember to trip all fat from meat cuts.
- If you are in the habit of drinking a glass of orange juice in the morning, then swap the juice with a real orange and you’ll get to save more than 100 calories in addition to getting some real fiber.
- Imitation hot dogs, bacon, burgers and sausage and other meatless products available at many grocery stores should be consumed more as they often only have half the number of calories than their meat counterparts.
- Try switching to regular coffee from a 16-ounce cappuccino. You can also use artificial sweetener. This will help reduce well over 10 pounds in one year.
- Baked potato chips should be preferred over fried ones. This helps reduce 90 pounds.
- Add at least 10 minutes of exercise in your daily schedule. The goal should be of 30 minutes, but you can start off with just 10 minutes.
- Don’t eat egg yolks as it contains almost all the fat and cholesterol. Instead use egg substitutes.
- If you have a soft corner for microwave popcorn then you don’t have to give it up, just switch to the light kind.
- In all your baking use sugar substitute instead of sugar.
- You can save 150 calories (per 12-ounce can) a day if you switch from your afternoon soda to a diet soda.
- If you find it hard to take diet soda then simply take smaller portions. So if you are used to taking a 44 ounce soda, swap it with a 24 ounce one.
- Switch to the light whole-wheat bread from a 100-plus calorie sandwich bread. Your savings per sandwich is 100 calories.
- Use nonfat mozzarella instead of cheese.
- Use two tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise on that sandwich instead of two tablespoons of regular mayonnaise.
- When it comes to eating meat, portion control is important. Most people eat two or three portions, try eating just one.
- Using appetite suppressants like Phentermine and Adipex is not a bad idea. While using drugs like Phentermine you’ll be able to reduce your consumption easily, which is essential while trying to loose weight.
- Try to settle with a light beer instead of a regular beer. Each bottle will help you save 50 calories.
- You can do some exercise in the form of taking the stairs every day at work. You’ll manage to loose 100 calories if you go up and down five flights three or four times a day.
- You should avoid super sizing anything. You’ll manage to reduce 300 calories by switching from the 6-ounce fries at McDonald's to the 2-ounce size. This can help in big weight loss if it can be practiced twice a week.
- After cooking chicken breast, remove the skin.
- Use 2 tablespoons of fresh berries as topping for your ice cream instead of crumbled cookies, crushed chocolate candy or hot fudge. This helps reduce the intake by 100 calories.
Remember that you don’t need to implement all of these tips in one go. You should rather try and implement them one by one and in this way you’ll not find it that difficult. If you manage to follow most or even some for these tips for one year you’ll easily loose 10 pounds, if not more. |
