Changing Your Dietary Habits

As we get older it becomes more and more difficult to stay in shape, and our desire to lose weight often leads us into fad diets and militaristic exercise routines. But no matter what the latest trend, we all know that the key to maintaining an ideal weight is pretty simple - don't eat more than you're burning off. So why are obesity rates at an all-time high? In part, because we let our weight get out of hand and then scramble to play catch-up. But the best way to lose weight is to find what works for you as an individual, in a health plan you can truly live with. When dreaming up a healthier you consider incorporating some of the following modifications into your everyday life.

Get support

If you've tried it all before and have found that you can't do it alone don't hesitate to ask for help and support. You may require the structure of being in a weight-loss program or just need an exercise buddy to help encourage you to get up and out each morning; learn what will keep you on track and utilize it.

Support can also come from subscribing to an inspiring fitness magazine or an online chat forum, as well. Sometimes it's enough to know you aren't alone in your quest for fitness, but more often than not you'll learn some truly valuable tips from others and also be able to offer your own. As you learn about personal fitness you may soon find yourself offering support to others even more than you require it for yourself.

In addition, make sure your family and friends are on the same page. It doesn't mean they need to follow the same dietary and exercise guidelines but make sure they aren't unwittingly sabotaging your chances for success, either.

Find tricks that work

Sometimes all it takes is a "fake out" to get you through the toughest parts. Little tricks like trading in the regular potato chips for baked, or using lemon on a baked potato instead of butter, can help you enjoy eating while still cutting calories. Also be sure to learn what your eating patterns are, so that you can have healthy snacks on hand when hunger strikes.

In terms of exercise, the smallest consistent changes can help make you more physically fit. Walk more, drive less and find physical activities that make you feel good on a number of levels to insure long term commitment. You can also search for additional tips and tricks online and ask friends and colleagues as well for fun foods that can make you feel like you're being bad even when you aren't.

Watch your beverages

It's very easy to forget you are what you drink and too often people try to make all the right food choices but then forget to monitor the empty calories they're getting from beverages. Alcohol in particular quickly converts to sugar, lowers dietary resolve, and also makes many people hungry. In terms of calories, one bottle of beer amounts to about the same as a baked potato, but without any of the nutritional value. It's not to say you need to avoid all alcoholic beverages altogether, but be sure to count those calories and remember that many beverages can adversely affect your weight.

Don't completely disrupt your life

Even though it's initially challenging to find a new eating style, it can be done without completely changing your life. You can still go out to eat but you need a solid game plan to be able to do it and still stay on track. When dining out speak with your server about specific nutritional facts of your chosen dish, and try to skip the bread and sauce-heavy dishes. And if you've been invited to a potluck you needn't starve yourself; simply take a moment to travel the length of the table before loading your plate. Once you've seen all there is to offer you can then skip the fried shrimp and instead go for the boiled and choose lower calorie items like fruit instead of pie. And if you do decide on the pie, eat it slowly, savor it, and enjoy it, but then refrain from turning that enjoyment into guilt. Tomorrow's another day so don't turn one decadent dessert into a spiral of shame.

Finally, remember that the little modifications, slow and steady, will ultimately be the positive life changes that you can stick with. When you feel you're depriving yourself it's quite natural that you'll want to rebel but if you make little changes such as these you will start to notice an improvement in your physical well-being. These little enhancements to your life may not be the flashiest new thing to make the headlines but they will help you get your weight in line, help you keep it in line, and all while still having a life.

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