by Marc A.
I get it. Losing weight is tough. It's difficult, requires so much effort, and takes way too much time. Hell, most times just getting started is the hardest part. You deprive yourself of everything that tastes good for a bunch of health food crap. You go in and try to walk off all your pounds in the first week and then a week later you've already given up. It sucks, I know. I know how you feel.
What would you say if I told you losing weight was much simpler than you may imagine. Now, by simple I don't mean easy. Losing weight isn't easy. Just asked the millions of people who are giving it a shot as we speak.
Become a gym rat and a health nut will come eventually but right now, you just need to get started doing SOMETHING. Never fear, I'm here to give you a few pointers. With these, even if you do nothing else but these six in the beginning, your body will benefit, trust me.
Here are 5 quick ways to start losing weight right now:
1. Trade in your snack foods for fruit. Every time you get a junk food craving, eat a piece of fruit. For ever bag of chips you would have had, eat an apple. This keeps some of the undernourishing overfattening crap out of your system and replaces it with good sugars, fiber and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Not only that but fruit is more filling for less calories. So just off of that, you're saving a 200-300 calories a day, which adds up to over half a pound a week.
2. Increase your water intake. With the exception of coffee (not drowned in sugar and cream), tea and milk, drink nothing but water. This will be a challenge if you're used to drinking soda or juice all day. So if you can't make a full substitution, replace half of your day's juice/soda with water and with each passing week add more water and remove more juice/soda. Now, some of you may be thinking that if you drink diet soda, you should be fine right? It's zero calories, after all. This is true but diet soda with its artificial sweeteners actually work to your detriment because while you get the sweetness that sugar would give, the implied sweetness will increase your real sugar cravings, leading to possible binging later, not to mention artificial sweeteners in large amounts are just bad for you.
3. Walk 30 minutes a day, for 3 days a week. Unless you fit into the morbidly obese category, then for most this is the bare minimum that you can do to lose weight. This doesn't have to be a chore. Try getting up 30 minutes early and walking around your neighborhood. Or go for a walk on your lunch after you eat. It will help with digestion and also burn off some calories. Or cut out a little TV and throw it in after dinner. You can do this!
4. Ask someone to either join you or hold you accountable. Don't keep your efforts a secret. Let people know what you're going to do. You don't have to broadcast but choose a select person or people that you know and let them know that you want to lose weight. Give them permission to check on you and keep you in check if they see you slipping. If losing weight was something you could do alone, you would have already done to let others be a part of it. Beware of overzealous supporters though who try to tell you how you should be doing things or run your life. You don't want that kind of help because it will send you back to your old habits or make you give up in a hurry.
5. Get some rest. I won't say that you need 8 hours a night because personally I feel that 8 hours doesn't work for everyone. Some are just fine with 6, others need 10 but you should be getting adequate sleep. Being sleepy triggers stress hormones and sugar cravings and can cause you to overeat. Three things you do not want occurring especially at the same time. Not to mention, getting adequate rest improves your overall well being. You'll be in a better mood and more motivated. In a rested states, you'll be more open to eating healthy and not just conveniently. You'll be less likely to eat that greasy burger. Perhaps not unlikely but less likely.
And there you have it, my 5 ways to start on a weight loss plan. An honorable mention would be to see this as a lifestyle change not a temporary "diet". This is for life so act like it if you want to have a long one.
Is there anything you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.
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