Secrets of Successful Dieters - Part I
Lifestyles Technologies
Secret 1: Control Portions
Less than 20 years ago, a standard cup of coffee with whole milk and sugar measured in at 8 ounces and 45 calories. Today, many java junkies have replaced that cup with a Starbucks 16-ounce Grande Mocha Frappuccino, which weighs in at a whopping 380 calories. To burn all those extra calories, you would have to walk for at least one hour!
Successful weight “losers” control their food portions. In fact, research suggests portion control is the greatest predictor of successful weight loss.
Try to control portions by learning to read nutrition labels; carefully measure out servings; eat only a single helping; use smaller serving dishes; and resist the urge to “clean your plate.”
Secret 2: Be Mindful When Eating
Many people turn to food when they are bored or stressed out. Encourage yourself to eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. That means paying attention to everything you eat. Try to get into the habit of asking yourself why you are heading to the fridge or pantry. Are you really motivated by hunger, or are you really just bored, stressed, sad, tired and maybe even full from their last meal or snack! Emotional eating can wreak havoc on a well-planned weight management program.
Secret 3: Exercise Regularly
Fitness is key in losing weight and keeping those pounds off. Remember, as people lose weight, a proportion of each pound comes from muscle; that, in turn, slows down the metabolism and makes it difficult to keep the weight off. Although walking and other cardiovascular exercise is important for burning calories, try to incorporate resistance training into your program to help preserve your lean tissue and keep up your metabolic rate.
Secret 4: Check the Scale
While it is not advisable to become obsessive about weight to the nearest 0.01 pound, people who maintain their weight loss do so by keeping periodic tabs on the scale, weighing themselves at least once per week. This way they are able to identify small weight increases in time to take appropriate corrective action.
Secret 5: Eat Breakfast
Research suggests that breakfast eaters weigh less and suffer from fewer chronic diseases than people who skip breakfast. By eating breakfast on a regular basis, you fire up your metabolism meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day!
Secret 6: Monitor Intake
One of the strongest predictors of successful and maintained lifestyle change is monitoring dietary intake. While it can be tedious to keep a daily food log, research has shown that this practice is a highly effective and proven strategy.
Continued... See Part II
