1) Eat breakfast with fiber and protein � at least 25 grams of protein and 5-8 grams of fiber. People who eat breakfast are less likely to get the afternoon energy or experience the munchies. Oatmeal and a cup and a half of yogurt are a great choice.
2) Drink at least eight 8-ounces glasses of water a day. Some fashion models swear by 100 ounces a day. Water will fill you up, increase your metabolism, and help to flush the toxins you release as you lose weight. Drinking plenty of water also helps fight fatigue, minimizes muscle soreness, and improves skin tone.
3) Get enough sleep. For some people, that’s seven hours. For others, its nine hours. Being tired makes everything � including weight loss � harder. Don’t let being sleep-deprived be the thing that breaks your diet.
4) Start seeking out low-calorie, nutritious food you like. Everybody is different�I find a cup of cherry tomatoes is fantastic nibble food. For you, maybe its carrots, or raspberries, or sugar snap peas. Veggies are best, but dairy like yogurt and cheese have that protein punch, which will keep you full longer. Sustained weight loss requires a few go-to, no-brainer snacking staples.
5) Get the move on! If you can get yourself to the gym, that’s great. (Tip: keeping a bag of gym clothes in your car at all times might increase your odds of getting there). But just walking more is a fine start � even if its just from the back of a department store parking lot. Even doing 10 minutes of jumping jacks in your bedroom when you first wake up will burn 90 calories. Exercise may make you feel tired at first, but keep with it� in a few weeks what wore you out will start to perk you up.
6) Build muscle. We’ve all heard it before: Muscle burns more calories than fat. It’ll also help you look better even if you’re still carrying extra weight. Muscles build confidence, too. You’ll feel better, sit up straighter, have more energy and your clothes will start to fit better. Push ups and sit-ups � even just ten a day of each � are a fine start.
7) Eat enough to be full. And no more. This will take some practice. Pay attention as you eat. Eat slower. When you’re at the point of just-full-enough-to-stop-and-not-feel-deprived, stop. Sit with how full you feel for a minute or two. Take a few sips of water. If you still really feel like eating some more, that’s OK. Eat some more. Just pay attention. Even after a few days of trying this, you’ll stop eating earlier than you had before. After a few weeks of practice, you’ll be surprised at how much less you can eat and still feel completely well-fed.
8) Take a vitamin. The goal is to lose weight, but the vitamin will, over time, help you feel better. The better you feel, the less likely it is you’ll to turn to food to make you feel better, whether its for an emotional or physical fix.
9) Get plenty of calcium and protein. Calcium is proven to boost weight loss. Protein will help you feel full, and for many people it can help stabilize your mood. A glass of skim milk is an ideal solution for both calcium and protein � one cup will give you a third of your daily recommended calcium plus eight grams of protein. And its just 86 calories.
10) Get more greens. Veggies are very, very good for weight loss. We all need to eat more. And as you try to cut your calories, being able to stuff your gut can really take the hunger edge off. Putting a big bowl of salad in front of any main course is a great way to reduce calories.
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