The top New Years Resolution year after year is to lose weight. The first tactic people usually try when losing weight is to start exercising. Going for a 30 minute run will burn about 400 calories. That’s about the same amount of calories as a single donut. You can’t outrun your plate! Exercise has a whole host of benefits but contributing to weight loss for most people is not one. If you want to lose weight you are going to have to change your eating habits.
Habit 1. Drink more water.
People often confuse thirst with hunger. If you think you are hungry get in to the habit of drinking a glass of water and waiting 20 minutes. If you are still hungry then, go for it. As an added bonus, having a glass of zero calorie water in your stomach will help you feel full sooner.
Habit 2. Get enough sleep.
People often make up for having low energy because they are tired by eating. Make sure you go to bed at a time that gives you eight hours of sleep. Sticking to a consistent bedtime seven days a week helps tremendously. If you have a bad nights sleep, instead of grabbing a snack when you are tired, splash some water on your face, or even better, go for a brisk walk outside.
Habit 3. Just eat.
When you are eating, put away any distractions. Put away your phone, your magazine, your book and turn off the TV. When you are distracted you don’t pay attention to how much you are eating.
Habit 4. Eat portions.
When you are serving yourself food, check the portion size. You don’t even need measuring devices. Your thumb is about 1 ounces of cheese. A tennis ball is one serving of fruit. The palm of your hand is three ounces of meat. One handful is about two ounces of snack food. A fist or cupped hand is a cup. Your thumb tip is one teaspoon. Another super simple way to eat portions is to use smaller plates. When you go out to eat get in to the habit of putting half your food in a doggy bag at the start of the meal.
There you go, four simple habits you can use that will help you lose weight.
There you go, four simple habits you can use that will help you lose weight.