Today, 2/3 of the population is overweight or they are not mindful of what they put in their bodies. Trying to correct this problem is not easy but it is possible. The biggest obstacle is knowing where to start and what to do! It’s time to pay attention.
When asked what are some easy ways to loose weight, I usually suggest people first look at their diet.
- What are you drinking?
- What are you eating for meals?
- What are you snacking on?
The best way to determine this is by writing down or being conscious of everything that goes into your mouth!
Everything!
Try it for three days to a week! Most people are surprised by what they really eat compared to what they think they eat.
For example:
What are you drinking?
Chemical water? Yes I mean the Crystal Lites, sodas, diet sodas, flavored waters, and Cool Aids. But not only that, consuming too much juice or juice *censormode*tails (juices that contain high fructose corn syrup) are unhealthy for the body too. And then we have the people who live on coffee or tea. Any of these things can be too much for the body and a contributor to weight gain. The best thing to drink is pure clean water! And yes, eight glasses a day (for some more). But try and do this between meals not with your meals.
What are you eating for meals?
This is such an issue for so many people. Most people don’t have time to fix their own foods and don’t know how to choose better foods when allowing someone else to fix them. First thing to do is try and purchase foods without artificial sugars, flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and no trans fats (hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils). This alone can dramatically make a difference in weight loss!!! Next, look to see that fresh foods are in the diet, meaning fruits and veggies DAILY. Even if you are going to fast food restaurants, choose fresh foods to eat. There are many choices, you just have to get use to looking for them. If you are eating breads or biscuits, don’t eat white or wheat, eat whole grain! If you eat meats (beef, pork, poultry, fish) don’t eat luncheon meats, sausages, bologna, salt curred meats or fried meats. In other words, try not to eat processed foods.
What are you snacking on?
Many people choose poor snack foods. Convenience is a huge issue but if you are constantly snacking on junk foods (chips, cookies, candy bars, and yes most protein bars) you are doing yourself no favor. I would also like to point out that just because a snack food says organic, it doesn’t mean you can over consume it and do the body good.
Try snacking on fresh fruits, veggies or nuts (non salted and not too many).
The next dilemma I get in weight loss is exercise …I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say they just don’t have time or the finances to go to a gym. If you watch TV 20 -30 minutes a day, you have found your time.
You don’t have to go overboard to exercise. Yoga, pilates, dance or sports are some fun alternatives. If you just have time for exercise at home, walk around the block (as briskly as possible), do squats, dips, push ups, sit ups or any simple movements. There are many ways to exercise. The key is to find something you like to do and be consistent with it. And don’t stop trying until you find it.
It is easy to sit back and become one of the 2/3 overweight population, but it is more rewarding and makes life far more enjoyable to feel good and be healthy! You can do it. Movement and healthy eating are good for the body and mind. So get moving be healthy and enjoy life!
