Losing weight is not easy. You will never hear me say that it is. It takes dedication, motivation and hard work. But by making a few easy changes you can get the ball rolling on losing weight.
CHANGE ONE: WHAT YOU EAT
First up, let's take a look at some simple ways to make significant improvements in your diet.
ELIMINATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RED MEAT
If foods like burgers are basic to your current diet, cutting out red meat can go a long way in helping you make healthier meal choices and losing weight.
More: Healthy Beef Choices
By building your meals around fish and poultry, you can more easily keep temptation at bay by eliminating many poor fast food and restaurant choices, which are over-sized and high in fat.
To keep your shellfish, fish, chicken, and turkey diet-friendly, be sure to choose the right preparation method (That's the next tip!). Be wary of creamy, high-cal condiments like tartar sauce or "special sauce" on grilled chicken sandwiches.
CUT OUT FRIED FOODS
Keep your healthier choices truly healthy by grilling, baking, roasting, broiling or boiling them.
More: Cooking for Weight Loss
Keep things interesting by adding low-cal condiments to your usual fare. A tangy barbecue sauce will give boiled chicken a kick. Lemon-herb dressing will complement broiled fish deliciously.
Make sure your kitchen is always stocked with plenty of herbs and spices so you can doctor up your favorite dishes to your own taste without adding any additional fat or calories. Plant an herb garden and you'll never run out!
More: Cut Cooking Fat
If you often eat fast food, forget that "value meals" and "combos" even exist; they seem like a better deal, but they're just not worth the extra calories! Stick to a grilled chicken sandwich or a small, plain hamburger and a side salad (watch the dressing!) when you're on the run.
More: 500 Calorie Fast Food
START WITH SOUP OR SALAD.
Having a salad or cup of soup for starters can be an at-home habit that pays off in pounds-lost. They can curb your hunger, prevent overeating and control portions, all of which are crucial to losing weight.
More: Healthy Salads
Choose a broth- or tomato-based soup like minestrone (rather than a cream- or milk-based choice). Vegetable soup made with broth, stock, or tomato soup is ideal, because the veggies will help fill you up and give you a fiber and nutrition boost.
More: Soup for Weight Loss
Top your salad with low-cal dressing or balsamic vinegar. An added plus of having a salad before every meal is getting more fiber which will also help you feel fuller sooner. Be sure to include lots of veggies and dark mixed greens like spinach in your salads.
FINISH WITH FRUIT.
Instead of reaching for the cookie jar or helping yourself to dessert after meals, make a point to finish off with naturally-sweet fruit instead of sinfully-sweet treats. Not only will you save fat and calories, you will also have the added benefit of extra vitamins, minerals and fiber. Few of us eat as much fruit as is recommended.
In time, you will become accustomed to foregoing sweets and you'll look forward to your healthier treat just as much.
More: Calories in Desserts
