I’ve lost my share of weight over the years so you would think I
would be an expert on it, but really I have gained most of it all back, many
times over…except for the times I made a lifestyle change and tried to stick to
the list below. Crash diets and health fads aren’t healthy ways to lose weight.
Instead, they have a yo-yo effect on your body that can cause it to drop weight
and then gain it back. The healthiest ways to lose weight include lifestyle changes
that are maintainable for the short and long-term. These include:
Cut Back on Carbs:
Don’t go crazy. Cutting back on carbs doesn’t mean you can never
have a slice of pizza again, but we often consume more carbs than necessary.
Your body quickly converts carbs to energy which means we feel hungry faster.
Instead of filling up on the bread basket, set a reasonable limit and find a
healthier alternative instead.
Lift Weights:
It’s a simple fact—lean muscles burn more calories than fat
does. This is a tough one for me since I don’t really like to lift weights. It
hurts! But, incorporating a little weight training into your routine can make
your body a lean, mean, calorie burning machine. Don’t be intimidated by the
weights. You don’t need to be bench pressing 350lbs to see results. Even 2lb
weights, used consistently, can start to bring about change. Start there and
who knows, maybe one day we’ll see you on the bodybuilding circuit.
Eat Protein:
The lean protein found in chicken breasts helps your body build
muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat does. Not only that, but
protein helps you feel full longer and is more complex to digest, so your body
will use more energy turning it into usable fuel.
Sleep:
Not getting enough sleep can slow down the metabolic process,
which means your body is both converting food to energy and using that energy
at a slower rate. This can lead to increased fat storage. ON top of that, a
lack of sleep can cause poor judgements including overeating.
Drink Water:
The body is over 60% water, so not only is this thirst quencher
essential for life, but it can be a secret weapon in weight loss too. Drinking
plenty of water helps keep your stomach full throughout the day, so you’re less
likely to feel hunger pains. And if your weak spot is soda or sugary drinks,
simply replacing those (or even some of those) with water or unsweet tea like
I’ve switched to over the years, can have big results.
Track Your Food Intake:
We often make it to the end of the day and have no concept of
how many calories we’ve consumed. Keeping a food journal helps with weight
loss, especially in the early stages of the journey, because it creates an
awareness of how much you are consuming. It can also highlight simple areas
where you can cut calories. Maybe you don’t need the extra whipped cream on
your latté, or maybe you’re fine to stop at one cookie instead of three. That
is a tough one for me. Whatever the discoveries may be, tracking your food
intake can be very enlightening.
Reduce Sugar Intake:
Sugar is nothing but empty calories. That’s why you can polish
off a whole bag of cookies in one sitting and still be hungry for more. We
often over consume when it comes to sugar, but it’s not just the calories that
are a problem. Sugar causes inflammation and other issues that hinder weight
loss. Just as we mentioned with carbohydrates, you don’t have to go crazy with
this one. The key is to do something that is maintainable, like cutting out
sugary snacks five days a week.
Eat Fiber:
Fiber helps you feel full, and a full belly has less room for
excess calories. Like lean protein, fiber also takes longer to digest, which
makes your body use more energy and keeps you from eating as much.
Limit Stress:
A stressful situation can initially cause the body to release
hormones that decrease appetite. However, consistently being in a stressful
environment has the opposite effect—it actually increases your appetite. Ever
heard of stress eating? Yeah, it’s a real thing. Incorporating daily breathing,
time to relax, or other stress management techniques can help combat this and
keep your body more stable.
“There you have it. It is so much easier to say or put in words, but much harder to do or put into action. I do wish you a very happy and healthy year. Follow some of the things on this list and you will accomplish just that,” says Randy Mullikin, President of The Mullikin Agency.
