I know how hard it is to lose weight as I've struggled with it for a very long time, myself. So here are some helpful tips and solutions to help you get out of your weight (and perhaps overeating) problems.
Tip # 1. Always eat breakfast. No matter what you do, no matter what happens (even if there's a tornado headed your way) eat your breakfast. I cannot stress this enough, breakfast is THE MOST essential meal of the day. I know too many people who skimp out on breakfast just because they have no time. That is NOT an excuse. Breakfast helps to boost your metabolism. High metabolism means more weight loss. Even if you do not have any time, try to grab something that's quick. Perhpas a glass of milk, eat a couple of crackers, grab an apple and be out the door, etc. If you're in a rush, try to plan ahead the night before so you have something that's easy and on hand.
Tip # 2. Eat fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies have fibre and all that good stuff in them. Keep an apple or grabes in your bag to snack on rather then a packet of chips.
Tip # 3. Make a plan and stick to it. If you decide that you want to lose 20 pounds, you better well make a plan to lose that 20 pounds. Try losing it in segments. 5 pounds in the first month, and so on until you lose the weight. Sometimes you'll get discouraged if you're not losing weight, but don't let that it take over you. It happens to everyone, you just need to learn how to work harder, and put in that extra effort.
Tip # 4. Change your eating habits. Try not to eat foods that are high in saturated fat/trans fat. If you're eating out every day, chances are you're gaining a ton of weight. Try to cut it back to once a week, and then gradually once every two weeks, and then into once a month. Instead of purchasing foods that are high in sugar and fats, look for healthier alternatives. Ex: Rather than 3.25% milk, buy 2% or 1% milk. Instead of fat filled popcorn, try the low in fat version. If you can't switch foods so fast, try to transition into it. But the point is you need to know that you want to and have to change your habits.
Tip # 5. Keep a diary of what you eat and how much you eat of it (calories, fat, etc.). Most people assume the amount of calories they're consuming, but they don't really know how much they are really taking in until they start logging what they eat. Some people consume over 2 times what they really think they're eating. So before you stuff that twinkie into your mouth, look at the calories and try a healthier alternative
Tip # 6. Start exercising. Just eating healthy is not going to help you lose weight. If you exercise AND eat healthily, you'll lose the weight faster. If you've never exercised before, start slowly. Walk 10 minutes a day for a few dates then bump it up to 15, and then 20. And when you've got the walking thing down pat walk for 10 minutes jog for 5 and walk for another 10. The key is to transition into it, because it won't be an easy task exercising if you haven't done it for a long time. Another tip is to exercising is to mix up your routine every once in a while so that you don't get bored and that your body doesn't get used to the exercise. Because when it starts getting used to the exercise you slow down the burn of calories. Also to ensure you exercise EVERY DAY, wake up early and make sure it's the first thing that you do.
Tip # 7. When you start exercising keep track of how much weight you're losing. Get a measuring tape an a weight machine, and measure and weigh yourself every week. You could make it Monday (I'm not saying you have to make it Monday, just make it whatever day you like). Write down your measurements and weight so you know how much of a distance you are away from your destination. If you're not losing as much as you'd like don't be discouraged as it happens to the best of us. So just learn what you're doing wrong, and try to change it.
Tip # 8. Don't sit in front of the television and snack on a whole bag of chips. If you're like me, the whole bag (or half of it) will be gone in a matter of time. Instead measure out a cupful, or so and tell yourself that's how much you're going to eat. Or if you want something more, go for something healthy, like popcorn with half the fat, or baked crackers.
Tip # 9. Drink plenty of water. If you're exercising, you're going to be sweating a lot and you'll need to replenish that. Also people sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking water often will help reduce the chances of you overeating
Tip # 10. Try to cut back on soda and juices as they provide extra calories that you don't need. In fact they're empty calories, so instead try water with a little lemon, and if you decide you CANNOT live without it, try to keep it to a minimum. Perhaps one glass a day.
Tip # 11. Cut back on portion sizes. Many people eat in large portions. If you cut back your portion sizes and measure how much you eat, this will help you. Cut your portions and eat more often. Eat something every three hours, whether it be some vegetables or some crackers. Eating often in small portions ensures that you don't go hungry for a long period of time which in turn will curb overeating.
Tip # 12. If you have a craving, go for it. I'm not saying go ahead and binge. But have a small piece of a cookie or a thin slice of that chocolate cake. If you succumb to your craving, it'll help from binging. But remember to watch your portion size.
Tip # 13. Don't torture yourself if you overeat. It happens to everyone so you have to learn to let it go. Exercise extra if you overeat, but don't beat yourself up about it.
Tip # 14. Cut back on the salt. Too much salt makes you retain water which in turn makes you feel bloated.
It's always good to remember that when you do lose the weight, don't fall back into the same bad habits. You need to know that eating healthy is a way of life, and that you need to stay focused and on track to get what you want. You only have one life, so live it to your full potential.
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