Practically any dieter who has tried to lighten up can tell the same sad story -- of lost weight regained, with a few extra pounds for good (or bad) measure. In my many years of counselling individuals on weight loss, I've helped lots get off the diet roller-coaster and lose weight for good. Here are my surefire tips for successful girth control.
1. Take it slow
When it comes to losing weight, slow and steady is sensible -- and effective. Here's why. Small weight losses don't trigger starvation mechanisms, such as a slowdown in your metabolic rate, the way dropping pounds quickly does. Losing weight is not natural. Just think how worried you would be if you lost your appetite and the weight suddenly started falling off. A healthy appetite and maintaining a stable weight go hand in hand. In essence, when you decide that you want to lose weight, your mind is declaring war on your body -- and your body will try to sabotage your weight-loss efforts. When you eat less than what your body requires, your body tells you that you need to make up that deficit by increasing your hunger. Rather than declaring all out war on your body, go for a subversive type of warfare. Losing one-half to one pound per week can go somewhat unnoticed by your body.
2. Join the breakfast club
Like all clubs, this one has some definite rules if you want to reap the rewards of being a member. Eat within 15 to 30 minutes of getting out of bed. If you wait too long for breakfast after rising, even if you're not hungry, you burn fewer calories. Through the night, calorie-burning capacity is slower. Eating a balanced breakfast boosts your metabolism, so if you go hours without eating breakfast, you've missed an opportunity to burn more calories. As well, going too long without eating can signal a shortage of food for your body and lead to a greater likelihood of storing fat.
3. Eat protein early in the day
Along with servings of whole grains and fruit, include a slowly digested protein, such as a scoop of cottage cheese, an egg or an ounce or two of a lower-fat cheese, fish, poultry or lean meat, for breakfast or even lunch. Protein helps you avoid late-afternoon energy dips and cravings, as well as nighttime munchies. Have a smaller amount of protein at dinner to balance out the other meals.
4. Drink water
Drink plenty of water every day. While drinking water is not a magical elixir for weight loss, being low on fluids may impair your ability to lose weight. Thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger. Just think of how appealing a juicy orange is when you're thirsty. Then think of the same orange after having two glasses of water.
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