10 Simple Changes
If you have over indulged at Christmas and starting to fret that soon it will be getting to that time of year when we want to look and feel fantastic in beach shorts and sleeveless tops. But if you don’t feel wonderful just yet then don’t worry. Weight loss is not magic, it’s a numbers game!
If you make small consistent changes, it pays off in pounds off. Make sure you understand that we mean ‘make small change permanently’ and not just ‘make small changes temporarily’.
The numbers game does not mean that you depend upon counting calories, watching your carbohydrates or the grams of fat. You can record weight loss by eating 250 calories less each day and doing 250 calories worth of exercise with day to day activities which can result in losing about a pound a week. If you can make a couple of changes in what you would eat, and adopt some lifestyle changes you can lose weight effortlessly.
1. If you ordinarily drink full sugar fizzy drinks…stop now!
You can lose more then 2lbs in a month without even trying (on an estimate of about 10 cans of fizzy pop each week). A can of fizzy drink can have between 150-170 calories and no nutrition. Drink an ice cold glass of water or a can of diet pop but limit the diet drinks to one can each day.
2. Walk it off
A 15 minute brisk walk twice per day can lose you a pound in a month.
3. Swap the crisps for popcorn
A serving of crisps has around 60 more calories then popcorn, and ten times more grams of fat. By just changing the snack will help you lose half a pound a month. An even better idea is to snack on baby carrots and lose another half a pound, a total of a whole pound lost!
4. Downsizing!
Order a kids burger instead of the usual, and a side salad too. A kid’s size portion is plenty for many people and is greatly satisfying on its own. The original burger has 700 calories, whereas the junior has only 400 (disregard the mayonnaise on the junior sized burger and you’re getting somewhere!). By saving 390 calories on one burger and, if you eat out twice or more a week, switching from a large size burger to the smaller size burger you will drop at least three quarters of a pound.
5. Get on your bike!
Alternative to sitting in front of the television for hours watching the soaps, get on an exercise bike and pedal. Every time there is a break, pedal away! You will burn around 200 calories doing so. If you do this at least 5 times each week whilst your watching your favourite program (an average of 20 minutes a day) you will lose another pound.
6. Swap sugary muesli to bran flakes
Add a handful of raisins to your bran flakes to liven it up. Changer from full-fat milk to semi-skimmed milk and save yourself around 70 calories – another half a pound – without even knowing.
7. Do you add mayo to your tuna?
Add butter to your bread? Drink full-fat milk? And what about full-fat ice cream? Just substitute the products. Lower-fat butters that you can buy are just as great. You don’t have to lose out on the taste of butter and you can avoid trans fat too. Buy a spread that is labelled ‘no trans fats’ and you can save around 75 calories per table spoon. Low-fat mayonnaise is still just as flavoursome and you will never miss the extra calories you’ve saved. Low-fat ice cream is glorious. By just switching to the lighter choices you can lose close to 2lbs a month.
8. It’s getting nice out!
Instead of sitting watching you car get cleaned through the window, do it by hand yourself! Spend an hour each week in the summer, save yourself some money and lose half a pound. Not to mention all the sun and fresh air you will be getting.
9. Eat grilled chicken instead of fried
When you fry food, you’re cooking in fat. This will only heighten your calorie intake. Eating chicken that has been griddled, baked or grilled without the skin is a better choice. And is a delicious saving equaling to about 200 calories or around half a pound each month.
10. Be careful with your coffee
A morning coffee can undo all the great efforts from the day before. A mocha latte with syrup and whipped cream has all the hallmarks of a self-indulgent dessert, which can total to 420 calories before you have even eaten breakfast. Swap for a cappuccino made with skimmed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon, this exchange can help to lose up to three pounds in a month…and also save some extra money.
It’s the small things that make a big change. I guarantee you will not miss the calories that you are cutting out by what you eat. By adding some simple activities you can keep you body slim. I’m not saying that you can never indulge in the occasional dessert or higher-fat meal. It’s the day-to-day good eating that keeps you where you want to be.
