No diet, you say? Well, some situations do call for a personalized nutrition program, but subtle shifts in your eating regime can produce very good weight loss results. The following steps will not only trim your waist line, but improve the health of your body.
- Eat whole foods, the way nature intended. Packaged foods, which have a shelf life long past what normal food should have, tend to have high amounts of fat, salt, preservatives and artificial flavours. Fill the majority of your meals with fresh veggies, fruits, grains, meats, legumes and calcium-rich products to get the nutrients and building blocks your body needs.
- Eat several smaller meals throughout day, rather than three large meals, and avoid large meals at the end of the day.
- Skim down meat portions by a third. Your body doesn’t need a lot of meat and you won’t notice a small reduction (your stomach will probably thank you also). Choose lean poultry (chicken, turkey) over red meats where possible.
- Switch to whole grains. Long term use of white wheat flour products contribute to fat storage, diabetes and other conditions. Try whole wheat or whole grain breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet or other grains. Use whole wheat flour in baked goods.
- Reduce alcohol intake. Alcoholic drinks are non-nutrient calories (they add calories with little or no nutrition) so consume them in moderation.
- Consume fruits rather than fruit juices.
- Eliminate pop and trans fats.
- Use a food diary for a week to gain valuable insight into your eating habits. Notice where your weak areas are (everyone has them :-)) and plan alternatives for those ‘trigger” moments.
- Always keep your house stocked with healthy foods and snacks so you have good options on hand when you are most apt to grab the first thing you see.
And, I can’t mention weight loss without adding the word “exercise”. There is no way around it, weight gain occurs when “calories in” exceeds “energy out”. However, don’t give up if you aren’t able to follow a structured exercise plan just yet. Any time you exert your muscles and heart you are using energy and training muscles, so walk up the stairs a few more times than usual, park further away, do squats while you prepare dinner, throw in 10 push ups each time you dress/change, add in 20 jumping jacks a couple times throughout your day, or even do glut and ab squeezes during your commute.
Most importantly, give yourself credit for every change you make. Changes are hard, especially in busy lifestyles, and every little change improves your health and contributes to a healthy weight.