Just what is the easiest way to lose weight, I hear you ask! Well, it is kind of simple really. You need to eat less and exercise more. But let’s face it – if it were really that simple, we wouldn\’t be a nation with the health problem of obesity.
I think part of the problem is that there are so many diets out there and so many experts, who all seem to contradict each other; and we have ended up confused. We don\’t know if we should be eating Cabbage all day long, or drinking Watercress soup or consuming only raw food.
Taking care of your weight will help your health even if you only lose a pound or two. Every pound you lose is a step in the right direction. Start with a small goal and celebrate your success. Too often, we dieters aim for too much and when the weight doesn’t drop off quickly we lose motivation.
You should begin by keeping a food diary. By writing down everything you eat but also the mood you were in when you ate i.e. bored, happy, and sad, you will get to know your trigger points. A lot of us eat for something to do not because we are hungry. Keeping a diary also helps you to remember exactly what you ate so you can see how many calories you are consuming.
Start every day with a decent breakfast. That way you are less likely to snack on the things we all love, but drive our weight out of sight. Be sensible and keep away from chips, cakes, biscuits and sugar in all its guises including diet soda pop. Fill up on fruit and vegetables aiming to eat more than the recommended five portions a day. Cut alcohol out for the moment as it not only contains empty calories but it lowers your inhibitions making it more difficult to stick to a diet. If you can\’t give up altogether, then aim to drink two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you have. This will help to flush the toxins out of your body.
Cut down on your sugar and salt intake by cooking your own food rather than relying on take aways or packaged foods. Too much salt can hinder weight loss as it causes you to retain water.
Start exercising as well. You don’t need to go to a gym. Walking, swimming, jogging and skating are all good examples of how easy it is to build exercise into your day.
The secret to losing weight and more importantly to maintaining your new figure is to lose pounds gradually. Forget about faddy diets that promise to lose ten pounds overnight – the weight you lose will be mainly water. And studies show you are likely to put back on even more weight than you lost. Don\’t obsess about being on a diet as this will only make you hungry.
As the pounds drop off, your friends will soon be asking you what is the easiest way to lose weight.