5 tips on how to lose weight and look your best EASILY!
5 tips to help you lose weight and look your best EASILY!
We all want to look and feel our best, but it’s often just knowing where to start. So, to welcome us all to 2010 and a new decade, I thought I’d compile a short report on 5 EASY Tips to help get us up and running and back on track for a vibrant and healthy year.
1. SUPERFOODS
Don’t get discouraged, I’m thinking of our common everyday foods which are, in fact, serious weapons in our fat-busting arsenal. Things like-
Water
Green Tea
apples and pears
Oatmeal
Broccoli
low fat yogurt
Pink grapefruit
Chilli Peppers
Lean beef, pork, chicken, and turkey (lean protein; tofu will also count)
Salmon, tuna and sardines (omega 3 that you can also get from flax seeds)
homemade soup
All of these foods (and I include water as food) help boost our metabolism so our body burns more energy. These are furnace stokers, so to speak. Some can be eaten throughout the day when we feel the need for a snack, as they also help fill us up, but are low in calories. Some of them have the incredible ability to help us cleanse ourselves of toxins, like water and apples. I have reviewed these foods and others in other reports; just sign up for the free email newsletter each week to make sure you receive them.
Oh, and red wine or real beer once in a while won’t hurt, just don’t overdo it, they have a lot of empty calories and obviously contain alcohol, which stimulates your appetite and also damages your liver.
2. EXERCISE
Okay, I know, not everyone likes to get hot and sweaty after jogging around the block a few times. But exercise doesn’t have to be boring or “hard work.” It can be as much fun as dancing around the hall with your favorite group or learning a little martial arts, and before you start cringing at visions of ninja warriors, Tai Chi is a martial art too.
Exercise increases metabolic rate, improves circulation, increases bone density, tones and strengthens muscles, burns calories, among many, many other things. Just 20 minutes a day can make a difference.
Here are some ideas for you to see how exercise can fit into your life.
Swimming – lengths of a pool, aqua aerobics….
Dancing – ballroom, disco, salsa, belly, front room…
Running, jogging, brisk walking
Vigorous housework: hanging out, dusting, ironing
Work in the garden, dig, weed
Walking the dog, walking to work, going up the stairs, running away from the dog… (or from the kids…)
Join a class – Tai chi, yoga, Pilates
Join a gym, use light weights
make love
Anything that gets us moving is a form of exercise, so if you’re short on time, incorporate walking into your day, stopping after work for a class once a week. Exercise also invigorates and strengthens you, so after a short time you should see the benefits. If you are a lonely type, start walking, jogging or dancing in the living room or bedroom.
Ideally, 20 minutes a day and a couple of 1-hour periods a week will help keep you in top shape.
3. SPRING CLEANING
Not many people mention this, but your home makes a world of difference when you’re trying to lose a little weight. When things are disorganized around us, we tend to become less focused and more disorganized ourselves. A good spring cleaning and cleaning not only increases calories burned, but also helps make room for us to cleanse ourselves internally. It makes us feel more comfortable: When there is a level of chaos around us, it is much harder to focus on ourselves and our needs, and much easier to fall back into old habits. Also, by taking charge of our environment, it is usually much easier to take charge of ourselves.
4. SLEEP
Getting enough sleep is essential. When you start to change your eating habits and exercise, your body needs more rest to rebuild and rejuvenate. A positive change in diet will cause the body to start eliminating waste initially, so coughs, colds, feeling cold and a little more tired than usual is to be expected. Try not to resort to pharmaceuticals to suppress the symptoms of a bit of a cold, as this will only refill the trash. Try something else like honey, lemon, and hot water to soothe any cold symptoms. And rest. It helps the body eliminate this waste and rebuild itself into a stronger, fresher model. Normally, as you progress and your body becomes lighter and clearer, you will start to need less sleep.
5. EAT MORE!
Yes, you read that right, eat more! By that I mean frequent, highly nutritious meals and snacks. Don’t skip meals. You won’t lose weight by starving yourself, in fact the exact opposite will happen as the body begins to store it. A bowl of fruit and cereals (oatmeal/muesli etc.) with low-fat yoghurt in the morning, a large portion of vegetables/salad (no mayonnaise…!), lean protein such as lean meat, fish, tofu and chips (no cheese or butter!), a bowl of brown rice with vegetables and lean protein, and snacks from our superfoods list with a couple of liters of water a day will have you losing weight in no time. If you can’t stand plain water (bottled or filtered is best, NOT tap), try squeezing some citrus, lemon, or orange juice. In fact, a glass of lukewarm water with the juice of half a lemon drunk first thing in the morning is very cleansing and would start the day perfectly. Or better yet a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water, cut with a teaspoon of honey.
Some people find it difficult during the day – take lunch and snacks with you. Prepare a rice salad, a thermos of homemade soup or a meal that you can prepare in the microwave. Microwaving food isn’t ideal, as it depletes the nutrients in the food, but it’s still so much better than snacking on sandwiches and chips…
If you love vegetables, grab some greens like carrots, celery, tomatoes, and cucumbers and make a dip with low-fat yogurt and chives or cottage cheese.
Experiment and have fun with your food, but stay away from processed things that are high in fat and sugar.
