How To Lose Weight
Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting
Sure, you can lose weight quickly. There are plenty of fad diet that work to shed pounds
rapidly -- while leaving you feeling hungry and deprived. But what good
is losing weight only to regain it? To keep
pounds off permanently, it's best to lose weight slowly. And many experts say
you can do that without going on a "diet." Instead, the key is making
simple tweaks to your lifestyle.
One pound of fat -- is equal to 3,500 calories. By
shaving 500 calories a day through dietary and exercise modifications, you can lose
about a pound a week. If you only need to maintain your current weight, shaving
100 calories a day is enough to avoid the extra 1-2 pounds most adults gain
each year.
Adopt one or more of these simple, painless strategies to
help lose weight without going on a "diet":
Choose Liquid Calories Wisely.
Sweetened
drinks pile on the calories, but don't reduce hunger like solid foods do.
Satisfy your thirst with water, sparkling water with citrus, skim or
low-fat milk, or small portions of 100% fruit juice. Try a glass of
nutritious and low-calorie vegetable juice to hold you over if you
get hungry between meals. Be careful of
alcohol calories, which add up quickly. If you tend to drink a glass or
two of wine or a cocktail on most days, limiting alcohol to the weekends
can be a huge calorie saver.
Eat More Produce.
Eating lots of low-calorie,
high-volume crowds out
other foods that are higher in fat and calories. Move the meat off the
center of your plate and pile on the vegetables. Or try starting lunch or
dinner with a vegetable salad or bowl of broth-based soup, suggests
Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Eating Plan. The U.S.
government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines suggest that adults get 7-13 cups of
produce daily. Ward says that's not really so difficult: "Stock your
kitchen with plenty of and at every
meal and snack, include a few servings," she says. "Your diet
will be enriched with minerals, , fiber, and if you fill up
on super-nutritious produce, you won't be reaching for the cookie jar.
Go for the Grain.
By
substituting whole grains for refined grains like white bread, cakes,
cookies, and pretzels, you add much-needed fiber and will fill up faster
so you're more likely to eat a reasonable portion. Choose whole-wheat
breads and pastas, brown rice, bran flakes, popcorn, and whole-rye
crackers.
Control Your Environments.
Another
simple strategy to help cut calories is to control your environment --
everything from stocking your kitchen with lots of healthy options to
choosing the right restaurants. That means avoiding the temptation by
staying away from all-you-can-eat restaurants. And when it comes to
parties, "eat a healthy snack before so you won't be starving, and be
selective when you fill your plate at the buffet," suggests Ward.
Before going back for more food, wait at least 15 minutes and have a big
glass of water.
If you did nothing else but
reduce your portions by 10%-20%, you would lose weight. Most of the
portions served both in restaurants and at home are bigger than you need.
Pull out the measuring cups to get a handle on your usual, and work on paring them
down. Get instant by using small
bowls, plates, and cups, says Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless
Eating. You won't feel deprived because the food will look
plentiful on dainty dishware.
- Get yourself a pedometer and gradually add more steps until you reach 10,000 per day. Throughout the day, do whatever you can to be more active -- pace while you talk on the phone, take the dog out for an extra walk, and march in place during television commercials. Having a pedometer serves as a constant motivator and reminder.
Have Protein at Every Meal and Snack.
Adding a
source of lean or low-fat protein to each meal and snack will help keep
you feeling full longer so you're less likely to overeat. Try low-fat
yogurt, small portion of nuts, peanut butter, eggs, beans, or lean meats.
Experts also recommend eating small, frequent meals and snacks (every 3-4
hours), to keep your steady and to
avoid overindulging.
Switch to Lighter Alternatives.
Whenever
you can, use the low-fat versions of salad dressings, mayonnaise, dairy
products, and other products. "You can trim calories effortlessly if
you use low-fat and lighter products, and if the product is mixed in with
other ingredients, no one will ever notice," says Magee. More smart
substitutions: Use salsa or as a dip; spread sandwiches
with mustard instead of mayo; eat plain roasted sweet potatoes instead of
loaded white potatoes; use skim milk instead of cream in your coffee; hold
the cheese on sandwiches; and use a little vinaigrette on your salad
instead of piling on the creamy dressing.
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