10 Tips To Speed Up Your Weight Loss | Midwest Weight Control
Losing weight can feel like a long, never ending battle. But a few small changes can get things moving a little faster in the right direction for you.
10 Tips To Speed Up Your Weight Loss
1. Snack Smart. Snacking for many people means mindlessly grazing throughout the day. Instead, prepare for midday hunger by having health snack options on hand. Look for low fat options packed with protein and try to find alternatives with a little bit of crunch. The most important thing is to plan ahead so that you never have to resort to eating the first thing you can get your hands on.
2. Choose healthier condiments. A lot of fat and sugar hides out in your condiments. Trade sugar for Splenda and use mustard instead of mayonnaise. Order your low fat salad dressing on the side and you’re more likely to use less. It’s easy to forget about the calories and fat hidden in condiments because we only use a little at a time, but little changes that you’re consistent with can lead to big losses at the scale.
3. Walk, walk, walk. Increasing exercise as you decrease your calories is proven to lead to weight loss. Take every opportunity to burn calories by walking. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the restaurant around the corner for lunch, and skip the parking spot right by the door.
4. Anticipate temptation. Be honest with yourself about what your weaknesses are, and plan ahead how you’ll avoid them. If cakes and cookies are hard to resist, don’t keep cake mixes or cookie boxes in your cupboard. If you’re going to a holiday party, eat a healthy meal beforehand or bring a diet buddy for support.
5. Let your plate be your guide. Use your plate to map out what you’re eating. Fill half of your plate with vegetables and you can split the other half between proteins and carbohydrates, choosing whole grains whenever possible. If you refill your plate, stick with all vegetables.
6. Stay Out Of The Drive Thru. Fast food is loaded with fat, sugars and sodium. You have very food health options on a fast food menu, so you’re best best is to avoid them all together. If you have to eat at a fast food restaurant, refuse the super size and get baked or grilled instead of fried.
7. Watch What You Drink. Stay away from sodas, sweet teas and most fruit juices. You’re better off eating an actual piece of fruit than sipping on the bottled juice cocktail or made from concentrate alternative. Opt for water whenever possible or herbal teas whenever possible.
8. Be Accountable. A lot of people will use a diet buddy or support group to keep themselves accountable for their diet and exercise choices. If you’re choosing to go it alone, keep a detailed journal of what you eat and how much physical activity you’re getting.
9. Eat Out Smart. Order smaller portions or share a plate with a friend to keep your portion sizes small when you go to a restaurant. Some people will put half of their meal in a doggy bag right away, making sure they don’t overeat with the oversized portions served at most restaurants.
10. Acknowledge Your Success. Attitude is everything when it comes to the long journey of weight loss. Take time to recognize when you make healthy choices and reinforce your positive behavior with rewards and affirmations.
Speeding up your weight loss is about putting together a lot of little changes to achieve big results.