Bonus Tips Easy Weight Loss without Dieting Set achievable goals If you set a goal for yourself that is impossible to achieve, you're going to be upset when you don't reach it, but in reality you can't reach it because it was beyond your capability in the first place. This may sound confusing but it's actually not. If you set a goal that is impossible to reach obviously you can't reach that goal. But you're going to be upset with yourself anyway and when you don't reach it and you get upset you're likely to sabotage your eating plans. So don't set yourself up for failure. Instead, set goals that are easily attainable in the beginning and then slowly build up to more difficult ones. Keep them all reasonable however so you can set yourself up for long term success. Once you have set your goals memorize them. Place copies of them beside your fridge, your bed, or any place where you are likely to see them until you know them by heart. Once memorized say them to yourself first thing when you wake up in the morning and last thing before going to sleep at night. Avoid comparisons It can be easy to look at the person in front of you and say 'I wish I looked like that.' The problem is that you are likely to bring yourself down when you say things like this as they are subliminally self sabotaging. Negative thinking can sabotage your best plans and it's something to avoid at all costs. If you find that you can't stop comparing yourself to others, at least frame your thoughts in a positive way. A better way of saying it would be 'I too can look like that if I am prepared to be committed'. One of my favorite quotes is: "If you think you can do it, if you think you can't, you're right" - Henry Ford Save your heart and waistline by ditching toxic fried foods If you go out to fast food restaurants a lot, then you probably eat quite a bit of fried food. These foods are bad for you in countless ways. Fried foods have lost nearly all (if not all) of their healthy nutrients and when served in most fast food restaurants they are full of unhealthy additives that make your body crave more. Try to avoid going to these places as much as possible and avoid frying foods at home as well. When you can't avoid a fast food stop, opt for healthier options such as salads or grilled items instead of fried foods. 1
Adopt a pet Pets can be beneficial to your health in a number of ways. For one thing, having a pet around helps you to feel loved and helps to relieve stress. You'll also need to walk your pet, which will make you increase the amount of exercise you get per week as well. One point to remember before following this tip is that you should give serious thought before adopting an animal member of the family. They are time consuming, can be quite expensive and are a lifelong commitment. However, they can enrich your life beyond belief. Before committing to a pet, give some serious thought to who will feed it, exercise it and clean up its poop. Also take a moment to think about what you would need to do if you wanted to take a long trip or go on vacation. Wait before you eat Often you will find that you completely forget about your cravings if you manage to wait a few minutes before eating it. This can be a little difficult at first, not because it is a difficult thing to do but because it is a difficult habit to get into. However, it is definitely worth persevering with because it really works. The key here is not to deprive yourself. Instead, think yes I can have this if I really want it but I will wait ten minutes first. Lose weight with laughter We've all heard the little cliché that 'laughter is the best medicine' but did you know that it can also help you lose weight? When you laugh help your body to release stress and you also increase your heart rate as well as the amount of movement in your stomach and abs. Don't fall for the fad - Get Healthy Instead Fad diets come and go as quickly as people can invent them. Don't get sucked into a fad diet. These are typically the ones that tell you to eat certain things such as all carbs or no carbs, eating raw broccoli for breakfast every day or living on liquids. That isn t living, that s deprivation and it isn t sustainable. Not to mention some of them aren't even healthy for you. The best way to lose weight is to simply follow a healthy food plan that includes protein, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. Give your body the nutrients it needs, eat organic wherever possible, avoid additives, avoid toxins and do some form of exercise. Don't follow a specific diet; instead, set a goal to give your body what it needs and get healthy. 2
Sign an agreement with yourself For some students signing an agreement with their teacher can be helpful so they actually reach their goals. The truth of the matter, however, is that you don't actually need to have someone else in order to make an agreement. You can create a document of exactly what you want to achieve and then you can sign it yourself. By making an agreement with yourself you are more likely to achieve your goal. Eat more veggies Eating veggies is great for every aspect of your body. For one thing, every veggie has a variety of vitamins and minerals that help everything in your body from your skin to your cells and your brain. A good way to make sure you're getting enough veggies is to include three of them in your dinner each night. If you have three options you'll take some of each of them which means you'll get more than if you only have one available. Add to this some salad during the day and you are on your way to a healthier, new you. Take a class and make sure it interests you Do you have a hard time getting into the idea of going to the gym alone? Maybe you don't have a friend that's interested in working out with you? Not to worry. Your local gymnasium, YMCA or recreation center should have a variety of different classes from swimming to yoga to Zumba and of course all sorts of weight loss and exercise classes. So pick out your favorite and join in. Having a scheduled time to go and exercise (not to mention other people with the same goals as you to go with) will make you more likely to go. If you're not into that type of class, try dancing. There are numerous dance classes from classic, jive, tango, salsa or line dancing. I have also heard that pole dancing is an excellent form of exercise that is also bound to spice up your love life. Make healthy food easy to find The problem with junk food in your home is that you know right where it is so when you're hungry that's the first place where you look. Instead, place your healthy food out on the counter or in the middle of the table. When healthy food is easier to find than junk food you'll be more likely to stick to your goals and eat a healthy snack more often. 3
Take a break before seconds If you finish your plate and still feel hungry, take a short break. Wait a few minutes for your body and brain to catch up. Drink some water and think about it. Are you still hungry? If you are then go ahead and get a little more food. You'll probably find that you're full and you'll have kept yourself from eating too much. It takes a little time for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you've eaten enough. If you keep eating before it gets that message then your brain doesn't have time to process it. Close the kitchen at night Snacking has turned into a big problem for just about everyone. There are so many yummy tasting, highly addictive snack foods available that it's hard not to grab a handful of something simply because you're bored. But when you snack because you're bored or you snack late at night, you are setting yourself up to gain weight. What you want to do is set a time when the kitchen is closed. So, after you eat dinner you have an hour or so to have a small snack or a dessert if you want one, but then the kitchen is off limits until breakfast. Having a small snack is not a bad thing but if you don't set limits you could find yourself eating more than just one small snack. By consciously deciding to 'close the kitchen' it makes it much easier for you to stop unnecessary snacking. Question yourself before dessert It can be difficult to always say no to dessert. Sometimes you feel like you're doing so many good things for your body from eating right to exercising every day and you just feel like you deserve a treat. If you absolutely can't say no to dessert, try to take only a small piece. Save dessert for one or two nights a week. Choose healthier, fruit based recipes, have a small serving and eat it slowly so that you really enjoy the flavor of each bite. Eat a large salad before meals Most people eat some sort of salad either before or during their meals. However, if you can develop the habit of eating a substantial salad (or a healthy green juice) before most meals, you will lose weight for a variety of reasons. The first one is rather obvious, which is that you will feel fuller quicker and will eat less. But the second reason is not quite so obvious. One of the things that I have learned, and I believe to be true, is that the majority of people who struggle to lose weight do not do so due to eating too much. As I have mentioned previously, it is because their bodies don't get enough nutrients. 4
As a society we don't eat enough leafy greens and we eat too many carbohydrates and other foods with insufficient nutrients for our bodies. People who are in the habit of eating a lot of fast food or other highly processed foods are in an even worse situation because their bodies think that they have actually eaten something that is nourishing. Then when they don't get the nutrients they need their bodies say I m hungry again within a very short period of time. By eating a large fresh salad before each meal you will give your body the nutrients that it needs and you will feel fuller for longer, not to mention all of the other health benefits. Eat before the party If you've been invited to a party or special event take the time to eat first. Chances are there will be food or snacks at the party, and if you go hungry you're more likely to eat more food. These special events can be difficult because you want to try all the sweets and junk food but they can sabotage your diet. If you eat first you are more likely to only sample the things that you really like instead of pigging out on everything. Sip smart: limit alcohol Do you drink alcohol? If you do, then you need to make sure you're creative with it. Alcohol has a lot of calories and very little of anything else. That is why the term 'empty calories' is often used to describe it. Another problem with drinking is that it leads to increased consumption of chips, nuts and other high calorie snacks. When you cut down on your alcohol intake, you will also cut down on all of these things and get healthier than before. When I m out I try to intersperse alcoholic drinks with water. I am usually quite selective with what I drink too. I enjoy good quality vodka with soda and a squeeze of lime, or later in the evening a nice brandy. That's not to say I don't have cocktails, I love them, especially margaritas. I just make sure that I save them for special occasions and only get them from bars that make their own mix from real fruit not chemical filled pre made mix. At home I have converted my cocktail recipes and I use coconut palm sugar instead of white sugar. It is a delicious and healthier alternative. 5
Mix up your daily routine for health and fitness Don't follow just one single exercise routine every single day. Not only will you be bored but you actually won't be doing a lot for your body either. After a while your body gets used to the exercise that you do. This means if you never exercise and suddenly you start doing 20 sit-ups a day you'll notice results. But after a while your body will get used to those 20 sit-ups and it won't change. You need to add more sit-ups or change to a different workout. Of course if you only do 20 sit-ups you're also missing out on toning the rest of your body. Any professional trainer will tell you that you will never get results by working on just one body area. Try to work on certain areas on different days. Maybe do yoga once a week and work on your core two days or go to a martial arts class twice a week and two days a week of walking or swimming. Try dancing, pilates classes, or any other sport or hobby that involves movement. Mixing it up gives you better results and keeps you from getting tired of your routine which can make you stop it altogether. Reach for the red sauce There are a variety of different sauces that you can put on just about all of your foods. Some of these are, of course, healthier than others. So which sauces are best for you? You may be surprised to learn that the red sauces (tomato based) are the best. There is nearly always a red sauce option at restaurants and you can find a great recipe here, make a large lot and freeze it in batches for home use. Find the recipe here: http://www.lifestylemenu.com/healthy-red-sauce-recipe Lose weight with spices Are you one of the millions that are looking for that 'quick fix' diet tip that's going to help you lose weight immediately? Well the best way to lose weight is through healthy eating and exercise but there are a few shortcuts that can help you out. For example adding a clove of garlic to your food can help you to avoid overeating. Dr. Alan Hirsch says that spices like onions, garlic, hot peppers or even horseradish will help you to feel full faster and therefore they can help you lose up to 30 pounds in only six months time. I haven't tried this personally but I do love my herbs and spices and use them regularly. 6
Have fun with your kids and pets. Getting in shape is definitely good for you and your family. It's something that will make you feel happier and it will make you healthier. If you schedule time to go out with someone else, whether it's your child or your dog, you'll be more likely to stick to that schedule than if you just decide you're going to go by yourself. Add more steps to your day How much walking do you do every day? Chances are you don't do enough. Did you know that the optimum amount of steps a day for losing weight is 10,000? If you're not getting 10,000 steps a day then try to get as close as you can. Try walking the dog a little further than normal or pacing while you're on the phone. Walk to the store or even just commit to taking a couple of breaks during the day and walking around the block. It all adds up. 7