Your Weight Loss Checklist
- Read food labels – This is important, because you need to know what is going into your body.
- Add color to your diet; eat plenty of fruits, veggies and grains – Because our agricultural soil is so depleted, you may want to consider taking a concentrated fruits and vegetable supplement.
- Cut down on alcohol – Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. When you think about the fact that fat has 9 calories per gram you can see that is pretty significant. Alcohol can also stimulate appetite.
- Control portion sizes – Portion sizes have increased dramatically over the years and so have people’s perception of what a “normal” portion size is, so try using smaller plates.
- Write it down, keep a food diary – Keeping a food diary is an excellent first step in assessing how you eat now and why you eat the way you do. It will help you target your current problems and look into the root of them. In the end, it will also help you to design the eating plan that is best for you.
- You didn’t gain it over night, so focus on gradual weight loss – Like many exercise or weight-loss programs, impatience destroys the plans of many who seek improved fitness. We want to take shortcuts, but we have to take small steps. You will draw strength from each personal “win”.
- Set realistic goals – Set small goals, then stick with that for a while and see how it goes, then think about setting another goal. Being realistic as you set your goals encourages permanent lifestyle change.
- Burn more calories than you eat – Keep in mind that your body burns calories all day long as part of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), because it takes energy (calories) for your body to perform basic physiological functions that are necessary for life—breathing, digesting, circulating, thinking and more. On top of that, physical activity (bathing, walking, typing and exercising) uses even more calories each day.
- Increase your activity level – You have to move. I heard it said “In order to do something good, you have to do something” Remember to “Take A Little Me Time”, because you deserve it!
