Is dieting draining your energy? Worn out by menu planning, food preparation, and shopping? Here are 10 painless ways to boost your weight loss efforts without depriving yourself:
1. Drink green tea. Studies show you'll burn fat faster and speed your metabolism. Purchase a good brand at a health food store or on-line. Start with drinking one cup a day.
2. Cheat once in a while, once every one or two weeks. Eat what you've been missing the most.
3. Eat half a grapefruit as a mid-morning snack. It has less than 50 calories, is naturally sweet, and you'll feel satisfied until lunch time. Include a variety of fruits, including apple slices, orange segments, seedless grapes, so you have something different to look forward to each day.
4. Decrease your milk fat content one level. Drinking 2 percent now? Go down to 1 percent. Try mixing the two at first if you really notice the difference. Or start by just using the lower fat milk in cooking, then replace it for drinking.
5. Write down everything you eat. Get a small spiral notebook and keep it in your purse or pocket. If you have to see it in print, you might not munch down on that brownie.
6. Season your food with a little more spice, including pepper, red pepper, hot sauce, salsa, Cajun, or Asian flavorings. You'll temporarily burn more calories and get more flavor with no fat.
7. Drink one cup of water before each meal. Your stomach will feel fuller before you even start eating.
8. Eat your meals on a salad plate. Your plate will look fuller and you will have less space to pile on food.
9. Eat next to a mirror. The site of yourself eating is not pretty. Consider mounting a mirror on your refrigerator door.
10. Wash the dishes, clean your kitchen, and brush your teeth after your evening meal. Once you've done all that work, you won't want to go through it all again.
These steps are effortless activities, but over time can add up to significant weight loss. Try them and see. |
