Small & Easy Changes for Weight Loss

Many people suddenly realize that they are very overweight and they need to lose some. Once they get that epiphany, they try to attack that problem hard and fast. They take extreme fad diets and start a very hard exercise routine. Obviously, no human can bear with the sustained torture and after a point of time they just give up.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be that way. Small changes to diet and exercise can lead to major weight loss and it is not something that people say to make weight loss look achievable. A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine in 2008 found that people who made small, permanent change in their daily food choices and/or physical activity actually lost about four times more weight and more than twice as much belly fat during a four month program, compared with those who adhered to dietary and exercise program guidelines. When you focus on couple of small changes at a time, you begin to ingrain some healthy habits that last for a lifetime. There are a lot of small changes you can make today to shed those excess pounds. Here are a few:

1. Write down whatever you eat: Very few people follow this but writing down your entire caloric intake is the best way to keep a tab on your nutrition. This journal will give you insight as to where you are going wrong and will help you rectify the same mistake. Also, the awareness that what you are eating will soon be recorded in the journal will help you in portion control. A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that people who tracked their food intake in a "food diary" lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.

2. Real fruit instead of juice: Get rid of the fruit juice and say yes to the whole fruit. Juices contain sugar, water, extra calories and less fiber. But real fruit has much more nutrients and a lot of fiber. The fiber will bind with the cholesterol and will take it right through your system.

3. Eat slowly: Due to the lack of time, many people just rush through their meals. The frenetic pace makes them eat more calories than they require and delays the signal of satisfaction to the stomach. Eating slowly will make you eat less and enjoy the food thoroughly.

4. Get active during commercials: Commercials make up around 10-15 minutes of an hour long show and provides a great opportunity to get yourself moving without missing your favorite TV show. Go up and down stairs, skip, dance, run/walk in place - anything that gets your heart rate up so you feel somewhat breathless.

5. Read labels: The labels on the food contain valuable information that should not be overlooked. Read the labels carefully and switch to products that say 'low fat' or 'whole wheat'.

6. Don't skip breakfast: Break the habit of skipping your breakfast every morning. Eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism and keeps a constant flow of energy throughout the day. Make a healthy choice with a tasty, nutritious, quick and easy bowl of cereal.

7. Read up on health related articles: There is no better way to abolish a problem than to read up on it and find solutions yourself. Most of us love reading. So why not read up on weight loss articles so that you can get more information. Once equipped with information, you can decide which tips to use and which to scrap.

8. Include more movement in your life: Exercise basically boils down to keeping your body moving. So you don't really have to go to the gym to exercise. You can include more activities in your daily life to make sure that you are burning calories. Eventually, your goal should be to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, but it doesn't have to be all at once. Here are some simple ways to get moving:

   • Walking to the local supermarket instead of driving.
   • Taking stairs instead of elevators.
   • Walk while you are talking on the phone.
   • Taking your dog for a walk etc.

9. Brush your teeth after dinner: A lot of people have the bad habit of late night snacking. But by brushing your teeth, flossing, or using mouthwash after the dinner is over, you won't feel like eating any more. This is because of the taste of the mint that acts a natural appetite suppressant.

10. Find out why you overeat: All too often overeating is triggered by stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, depression and other emotions. By keeping a list of items that act as triggers, you can avoid them all together.

11. Quit soft drinks and embrace water: Sweetened soft drinks are nothing but empty calories. But replacing them with water (which is calorie free) you are not only reducing your caloric intake but you are also doing your body a favor by saving it from other harmful effect of soft drinks/soda.

Small changes when done together cumulatively add up to make a huge difference. They are also very easy to undertake. You need to find the small changes that you are comfortable with and implement those in your life. Within few months, you will see a marked improvement in yourself.