By Staff
It has been two months since those "I am going to lose weight this year" New Year's resolutions - so how have you done?
This is probably one of the biggest resolutions made each year and by this time not many have stuck with it. Let's look at some ways to help keep your New Year's resolution intact all year round.
Snacking
Many people will snack all day long instead of eating nutritional meals. It is much better to eat at least three meals a day and a few snacks in between when you are hungry. When people tend to snack it is not usually on just carrots and grapes. It usually consists of chips, candy, pop, etc… After a full day of this type of snacking you have probably consumed more sugar, fat, calories and salt than by eating those meals you are skipping.
Drink Water
By substituting water for a bottle of pop you are saving about 265 calories. Drinking water before you eat a meal or have the urge to snack can curb your appetite and help limit how much you eat. Water also helps to metabolize stored fat and maintain proper muscle tone.
Pack your own
lunches for work
Eating out everyday is probably not going to help your New Year's resolution. You have to be very careful in the foods you choose at fast food restaurants. Even a salad with regular salad dressing can have more calories and fat than a hamburger.
Watch what you
use at home
Cooking dinners at home can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Take a good look at how you cook. If you are baking and you need to grease the pan, instead of using grease, use light cooking spray. You will save a ton of unneeded calories. If you are using butter/margarine, sour cream, cheese, bread, etc. try the light versions (the taste difference is not big). If you are drinking whole milk gradually work yourself down to two percent or maybe skim.
Stop before you
are full
Most of us eat until we are full enough that we can't eat anymore. Stop just before that full feeling. You could save yourself a couple hundred calories. Take your time to eat. When you eat fast you have the tendency to overeat but when you eat slower you will be able to tell when you are getting to the point of being full. It takes the stomach 20 minutes to signal your brain that you are full.
Exercise
This is very important for your health and to maintain your weight loss. The key here is to start out slow and not over do it. If you do too much too fast you will more than likely become burned out and stop your workout. Make an appointment with a personal trainer to help you achieve your goals or work out in a group setting to have others push you to keep going.
Hopefully these tips will help. Just remember to take it slow and have fun. You need to make the way you eat and exercise part of your everyday lifestyle that you can maintain and be happy about.
Thought of the week: Desserts is Stressed spelled backward.