Healthy Weight Loss Tips

No one said losing weight was simple, but with a good amount of hard work, dedication and motivation you can be on the right track to living your best and healthiest life.

A healthy weight will make you look and feel your best, but most importantly it will keep your body at top performance and decrease your chances of developing disease and illness. They key is not to think of it as a diet, but as a lifestyle change that you will be happy to implement every day.

By making a few easy but crucial changes to your current lifestyle you will be on your way to your healthy weight loss goals.

1.Eating habits

Exercise is a great tool, but without significantly altering your diet, it will not be enough to see the results you are after. To find the problem areas in your current eating habits, it might be beneficial to keep a food journal for a few weeks to track your daily intake. From there you can have a better idea of what you need to add and what you need to reduce to maintain a healthy balance.

Eliminating or reducing your intake of red meat can help you make healthier eating choices. Instead, try building meals around high protein items such as fish and poultry. What you eat, however, is half the battle. Remember that the way the food is cooked will truly make the difference between a health choice and a not so health-wise meal. Grilling, baking, roasting, broiling or boiling what you eat is the best method. Try to keep your fried and processed foods to a minimum, and keep in mind that eating at home, where you can control your portion sizes, can help prevent over-eating and unnecessary calorie intake.

If you’re a snack-lover there is no need to panic. Instead of reaching for the cookie jar or that bag of chips in between meals, make it a point to stock your pantry with healthy but satisfying treats that have the added benefit of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Try unsalted nuts, granola, multigrain crackers, and don’t forget about fruit if you are craving something sweet.

2.Drinking Habits

The number of liquid calories you can consume in one day can be astonishing, so don’t forget to include your beverages when making your healthy eating changes. If you are truly serious about your healthy lifestyle change, you can’t forget to increase your water intake. A rule of thumb is usually 8 glasses per day. It might be hard at first, but even eliminating one soda or other sugar-loaded beverage per day can help you cut out hundreds of unnecessary calories. Diet beverages might seem like the easy alternative, but beware of artificial sweeteners that can actually increase your appetite and food cravings. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, try treating yourself to a glass of white wine or champagne, rather than beer or cocktails that are usually higher in calories.

3.Lifestyle Habits

The more you know about nutrition, the easier it will be to altar your food choices. Try reading some books on healthy eating, doing some online research or taking a class. Be sure to stock your kitchen with items you will enjoy eating and cooking so you will be less inclined to eat out. Getting the whole family involved on your quest to eat well is a great way to make sure the changes will last and it will definitely spread motivation.

Remember that any form of activity is better than none at all. If workout classes and gyms are not for you, why not take an enjoyable dance or yoga class with a friend or simply get outside for a brisk walk during your lunch hour. Household chores can also be a great way to burn calories, so those gardening and house cleaning tasks can have double duty in your weekly schedule.