My Quick Tips

Do you ever find yourself reading weight loss tips thinking, "Yeah, right. Like I'm going to do that."? Well, I've felt that way too. For example, I dare say the day will ever come when brushing my teeth as the impulse to indulge hits will make it any easier for me to pass on dessert!

A weight loss tip needs to be something you'll actually do for it to work, right? So, I'd like to share some of the easiest and most effective weight loss tips that have helped me to achieve and maintain weight loss over the years. I hope that you'll find them helpful.

• Here's a Red Light to Snack!
  When I first started trying to lose weight, I went along with the old school thinking that eating between meals is a no-no. So, I stopped snacking altogether. Wow, did that ever back-fire! When meal times rolled around, I was often so hungry that my good intentions went right out the window and I ate much more than I normally would have in the first place.

  Eating sensible snacks between smaller meals will stave off hunger and keep your blood sugar at a good level and prevent this type of situation. In fact, studies in recent years have shown that eating several small meals a day instead of three large ones is better for your health and helps your weight loss by keeping your metabolism revved up! To make sure your snack does the trick, mix carbs with a protein, like reduced-fat cheese on wheat crackers and some grapes.

• Counting 1, 2, 3...
  I have an easy way of "forcing" myself to practice portion control: buying single serving packages and using plastic baggies. I've found that buying the pre-packaged single serving of some types of foods proves too costly, so I buy the regular size packages of those items, but I never eat anything straight out of the package. One of my biggest danger zones is to sit down with a whole bag of baked chips or an entire box of low-fat cookies!

  We have all heard that even if something is reduced in fat, it doesn't mean we can eat all we want. That's because calories still count. So, look at the nutrition chart and find how much of your favorite snack is in a serving. Then count those crackers or measure out that popcorn and store your snack serving in individual plastic baggies. If you do this ahead of time, not only do you already have your snacks measured and prepared, but having them on-hand keeps your hunger from leading you to the vending machine, a definite diet danger zone for anyone!

• Chill Out, Man!
  You'll be hard-pressed to find any weight loss advice that doesn't recommend drinking more water. I don't mind downing plenty of H₂0, but my pet peeve is that it has to be really cold. It's hard to get a nice glass of ice water when you're on the go, so I often put a pint sized bottle of water in the freezer. If you put a single serving water bottle in the front of the freezer for a while, you'll have super cold water to drink for a long time. Don't leave it in long enough for it to freeze solid, but just long enough for a "core" of ice to form. Then, as the ice melts, your water gets colder! Ah, just perfect for the summer season around the corner!
• "When Life Gives you Lemon Juice..."
  I drink so much water during the day that I like to have something different at meals, especially when dining out. I am convinced that I've tried every diet soda on the market and I've yet to find one I can tolerate. But giving in to regular soda can add hundreds -- thousands if re-fills are flowing -- of calories on to the day's quota.

  I keep plenty of no-cal fruit flavored waters in the fridge at home. But those aren't always available at my local eateries. So, I like to ask for ice water with a juice glass full of extra lemon slices or a bottle of lemon juice. I add a couple packets of artificial sweetener and voila -- instant diet lemonade!

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