Weight Loss Tips
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:05PM
Losing weight can be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible. If you’ve been having a hard time getting started, here are some weight loss tips that will help you put your weight loss plan into action.
- Learn Your Pattern: The best way to lose weight is to understand how you got to this point in the first place. It will do you no good to go on a diet and lose a few pounds, only to regain weeks, months, or years down the road. In order to permanently lose the weight, you have to break the bad eating habits that caused the problem in the first place. Be honest with yourself: do you eat when you are stressed? Do you get hungry at night while watching TV? Do you skip breakfast only to overeat later in the day? Figure out the pattern that has caused you to gain weight, and then you can develop a plan to change that pattern for the better.
Try New Things: If you are going to lose weight, you need to be a little adventurous. There may be a few things in your new dietary plan that you feel that you need to give up. But rather than focus on what you can't have, concentrate on the new foods that you will be able to eat. There are plenty of delicious foods that are easily included in a healthy diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products. Make an effort to try a least one new healthy food each week.
- Stay Connected: Talk to your friends and family about your efforts to lose weight. They don't have to go on a diet themselves, but they may be willing to make a few small changes to keep from accidentally sabotaging your efforts. Your kids would do well to skip the sweets and salty snacks anyways, and if they simply must have junk food, let them have it at school. If your best friend stops by in the morning to talk over coffee and doughnuts, ask them if they mind low-fat muffins instead. Or better yet, ask them if they would like to join you on a short walk.
At the Grocery Store
- Prepare a shopping list that includes the ingredients of a number of healthy, low-calorie meals and snacks that you will eat for the next few days or weeks. Make the list when you are not hungry, tired, or stressed out.
- Be sure to stick to your list. If you see a tempting food, don't just throw it in the cart. Instead, agree that you will think about buying it next time. If it makes it on to your next shopping list, after you have had time to think about it, then you can buy it.
- Shop around the store. The best foods for a healthy diet (fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish) are on the outer aisles of the grocery store. Spend the majority of your time in these aisles and only dip into the rest of the store for a specific item on your list.
- Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry, tired, or stressed out.
Eating Out
- As you are making your restaurant selection, try to choose a location that you know will have at least a few healthy selections on the menu.
- Try to get a copy of the menu via fax or e-mail ahead of time so that you can make your selection before you get there.
- Be assertive. When placing your order, make sure the waiter waitress understands that you do not want extra butter, fats, or sauces.
- If you dining companions are agreeable, ask your waiter not to bring a breadbasket, or to remove it after everyone has had one piece.
- Avoid all you can eat buffets. It’s almost impossible to avoid overeating at this type of restaurant. If you must go to one, use the smallest plate possible and look over the whole buffet before you serve yourself. Try to fill up on the healthiest selections first.
- Rather than ordering a full dinner special, split a meal with a friend or order one or two a la carte items so that you can control portions.
On Vacation
- Vacation is a time for relaxing and enjoying yourself. You can easily do that without sabotaging your weight loss efforts, make an effort to stay on track on your vacation
- Use your vacation as a time to try new healthy foods. Almost every state, country, and culture in the world will have some kind of healthy selection on the menu. Try local fruits and vegetables that you haven't seen before. (As long as they are prepared in a healthy manner.)
- Keep up with your exercise routine while on vacation and take advantage of new opportunities such as a walking on the beach or the using the hotel gym
Other tips
For all of your weight loss and obesity needs, including natural remedies, tips, products, support forums, the life changing eBook “Ten Super Secrets to Weight Loss” and much more, please visit us at www.weightlossobesity.com or www.slimirex.com.
About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop, sell and evaluate exclusively high-end natural and organic healthcare products to support a wide range of health conditions. The products we promote are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives.
