Operation Weight Loss: How to Get Started!
Gail Davis
January 01, 2009
This is the time of the year that many of us take a good long look in the mirror and renew that old commitment to lose weight and improve our health. If you´re only five to ten pounds away from your goal weight, you probably have a little more confidence in your ability to get the job done than if you have a significant amount of weigh to lose. Don´t be intimidated by the weight loss process. It´s a journey, like most others, that you take one day at a time!
As always, the first step is to recognize that you need to make some changes. Begin using a weight loss journal and record what you would like to accomplish and the motivating factors. In other words, what are your goals and why do you want to attain them? Several studies show that people who journal during their weight loss journeys lose twice as much weight as those who don´t. So…start writing!
While you´re at it, record your significant health numbers too. Record your weight, your measurements, your blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. These numbers will be major motivators when the scale isn´t moving. Weigh once a week, never more often when losing, and add it to your journal. In addition, once a month, record your measurements.
Use your journal to record your feelings throughout the process. See if you can determine the reasons for your cravings and the desire to binge.
Record what you eat. You don´t need to count every little calorie if you don´t want to, but at least write down what you eat and when. This will be valuable information when you need to go back and analyze a particularly good week, or one that you don´t want to repeat.
Start by going through your refrigerator and pantry and pulling out all those unhealthy items that you have trouble staying away from. Replace them with healthier items from the store. Be aware of the major food groups and eat from them each day. Your emphasis should be on lean protein, vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, low-fat dairy, and heart healthy oils.
Enjoy three small, healthy meals a day, but try to keep each less than 500 calories. In addition, have two small, healthy snacks each day, less than 150 calories each. Fat-free yogurt, fruit, and a small handful of nuts make excellent and nutritious snacks.
You must burn more calories each day. If you don´t enjoy formal exercise, then look for ways to be more active. Park further away, take the stairs, and walk the dog. Do something that gets you moving. Performing some sort of cardio exercise, even walking 30 minutes each day, will make a major difference in your diet success and overall wellness.
Finally, look for ways to stay motivated. "Consistency over time" is the secret to easy weight loss. "Yo-yoing" back and forth is the "kiss of death" for your metabolism. So remind yourself often why you´re on the journey and what you hope to accomplish. Stay motivated by writing in your journal, reading health-related books, magazine articles, and websites, and eating mindfully.
As always, the first step is to recognize that you need to make some changes. Begin using a weight loss journal and record what you would like to accomplish and the motivating factors. In other words, what are your goals and why do you want to attain them? Several studies show that people who journal during their weight loss journeys lose twice as much weight as those who don´t. So…start writing!
While you´re at it, record your significant health numbers too. Record your weight, your measurements, your blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. These numbers will be major motivators when the scale isn´t moving. Weigh once a week, never more often when losing, and add it to your journal. In addition, once a month, record your measurements.
Use your journal to record your feelings throughout the process. See if you can determine the reasons for your cravings and the desire to binge.
Record what you eat. You don´t need to count every little calorie if you don´t want to, but at least write down what you eat and when. This will be valuable information when you need to go back and analyze a particularly good week, or one that you don´t want to repeat.
Start by going through your refrigerator and pantry and pulling out all those unhealthy items that you have trouble staying away from. Replace them with healthier items from the store. Be aware of the major food groups and eat from them each day. Your emphasis should be on lean protein, vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, low-fat dairy, and heart healthy oils.
Enjoy three small, healthy meals a day, but try to keep each less than 500 calories. In addition, have two small, healthy snacks each day, less than 150 calories each. Fat-free yogurt, fruit, and a small handful of nuts make excellent and nutritious snacks.
You must burn more calories each day. If you don´t enjoy formal exercise, then look for ways to be more active. Park further away, take the stairs, and walk the dog. Do something that gets you moving. Performing some sort of cardio exercise, even walking 30 minutes each day, will make a major difference in your diet success and overall wellness.
Finally, look for ways to stay motivated. "Consistency over time" is the secret to easy weight loss. "Yo-yoing" back and forth is the "kiss of death" for your metabolism. So remind yourself often why you´re on the journey and what you hope to accomplish. Stay motivated by writing in your journal, reading health-related books, magazine articles, and websites, and eating mindfully.