It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is claiming they have the best ways to loose weight. The only true and proven ways to loose weight are to eat better and participate in a fitness program. All of those self-help books, diet products, and crazy-looking exercise machines are all a waste of money. Losing weight can be very inexpensive if done right. A simple walk around the park and a basket full of vegetables can be all you need to start on your way to loosing weight and living healthier. Here are four things you can incorporate into your lifestyle today to see immediate results.
1. Eat breakfast every day. This gets your body’s digestive system started up and will increase your metabolism throughout the day. Many people are rushed in the morning and think they can just skip breakfast and catch up with a big lunch. This is actually the worst thing for people who are trying to loose weight because it causes the body to slow down its metabolism. Since dinner is usually around 7 o’clock for most people, this means that the body has to go well over 12 hours with no nourishment at all. The body switches to “famine” mode to conserve energy and burns less calories while storing more fat.
2. Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. As mentioned above, this keeps the body from switching to energy conservation mode. You will also find that you have more consistent energy all day long because your body is constantly getting fuel. Of course, these smaller meals should be healthy items, not junk food. Processed sugars and saturated fat are harder for the body to handle, so you will have a lag in energy level and a drop in metabolism while the body struggles to digest an unhealthy snack.
3. Slow down while eating. Not only will you be able to savor the taste of your food, but you will also end up eating less if you take longer to do it. Eating too quickly circumvents the body’s signal that it is full. You can keep eating before you realize that you do not need any more food. Slow down and try to take about 30 seconds per bite of food. This lets your body catch up and let you know when you have had enough to satisfy your physical needs. You may even become more mindful of the food you are eating and the nutritional choices you make. Often we eat certain foods simply out of habit and do not even realize we are making an unhealthy choice.
4. Plan out your meals for the entire week. This will make your grocery shopping easier and can keep you motivated to eat healthy even when things get busy later in the week. You will already have all the necessary ingredients on hand to cook a delicious and healthy meal, so it will be harder to justify choosing high calorie fast food instead. The best ways to loose weight focus on making it convenient and enjoyable to live a healthy lifestyle.