Whether you need to lose five pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds or more, know that it can be done. Though many struggle with the process, the sheer number of success stories, show that it is possible to lose the weight and to keep it off. This article contains all of the information that you need to get started.
You may need to replenish your dishes. Most of us have dishes, plates and bowls, that are much bigger than what a true serving size should be. A healthy dinner for an adult should fit onto a 9 inch plate. The larger the plate, the more likely you are to fill it up, over the amount that you really should be consuming.
To lose excess weight, you should exercise four to six days per week. While aerobic exercise, such as walking, increases metabolism, resistance exercise, such as lifting weights, increases muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. So, a mix of the two will maximize your weight loss efforts.
People tend to psychologically feel that they ate enough when their plate is empty. The more food you pile on your plate, the more you have to eat, the more weight you will gain. Instead, put less food on your plate so that when you eat it all you won’t feel bad, or gain weight.
Avoid spending too much time in the kitchen or dining room. Do not use these rooms for activities other than eating. When you do something in your kitchen or dining room, you might be tempted to eat because you think of this room as a place where you can eat.
To help avoid weight gain during the holidays, choose foods that taste good, but are still light, and good for you. Fresh cranberry sauce is delicious and high in acidity, so it helps you avoid infections. For a boost of beta carotene and vitamin A, be sure to enjoy sweet potato, squash and pumpkin dishes. If you are preparing these yourself, experiment with reducing the sugar by half. You probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
Keep a personal food journal that documents what you eat and when. Believe it or not, if you can’t visually see what you have eaten, you could mistake your craving for hunger or feel that you haven’t consumed too many calories or too much fatty food for the day. If you can see what you have eaten and when, you are more likely to refrain from unhealthy snacks and extra morsels you don’t need.
If you are trying to limit your calorie intake while maximizing your nutritional benefit, skip or limit the condiments. Most salad dressings and sandwich toppings are high in fat, while even low-calorie options such as ketchup or mustard are high in salt. Limit the condiments you eat to the ones you really need to enjoy your food.
Though the process of losing weight is a daunting endeavor, it is possible. The first step in the journey is to educate yourself on the correct way to go about it. There are simple and effective things that you can do to increase your chances for success. Use the guidelines presented here to help you along the way.