Approaching weight loss as a change in your lifestyle is sustainable and healthy. Here's a plan that will help you lose weight this year ... without dieting.
Many people make New Year's resolutions to lose weight. However, while the resolution is a great first step toward creating positive change, holding ourselves to it is even more important.
Launching into the new year with great enthusiasm and lofty goals may cause us to expect too much change too quickly. And when we don't see results soon enough, we get frustrated, which can undermine our efforts.
So one of the best things you can do is to resolve not to diet in 2011. Dieting isn't sustainable and, as a result, we become frustrated-or, even worse, we lose weight in the short term but don't keep it off.
Approaching weight loss as a change in your lifestyle is more sustainable and healthier than dieting. Make small changes, week by week, to be successful in your plan to lose weight in 2011.
DAY 1: THE RIGHT MINDSET
Stop thinking "diet" and start thinking "lifestyle." The word "diet" is negative and implies deprivation, starvation, and hunger. Focus on the positives of a new lifestyle: "I'm going to feel great. I'm going to look great. I'm going to be healthier."
Thinking "I am" instead of "I have to" will inspire you to be healthy.
WEEK 1: LAY THE FOUNDATION
Prepare yourself for a new way of eating and living. At this time, you want be sure you are covering the basics.
Drink lots of water
Divide your weight by two to get the number of ounces you should drink in a day.
Eat breakfast
If you aren't already eating breakfast, start. It should be balanced with carbohydrates and proteins, and low in fat.
Eat five to six times a day
Frequent small meals will boost your metabolism and prevent hunger.
Learn about the basics of nutrition. Also, take some time to understand how to read nutrition labels.
Take a multivitamin
Think of it as an insurance policy that will help you get all the important vitamins and minerals you need every day.
WEEK 2: DETOX
When your diet includes unhealthy foods your digestive system functions less efficiently and has to work overtime to eliminate toxins and waste.
The more bad foods you eat, the more you crave them. Retrain your brain and stomach by eliminating them from your diet. Go through your kitchen cabinets and throw away foods that are obviously bad for you. Eliminate or cut back on the following foods:
- Refined sugars
- Saturated fats
- Alcohol
- Fried foods
- Processed foods
- Caffeine
WEEK 3: MAKE SMART CHOICES
Once you have eliminated excess toxins and chemicals from your body, you are ready to start fresh and eat the foods that your body really needs to function properly.
Healthy Starchy Carbohydrates
If you like bread, pasta, and cereals, start eating those made with whole grains. (Look for the Whole Grain Council emblem.) Starchy foods made with whole grains offer a lot of healthful benefits and are lower in sugar than their refined counterparts.
Eat Your Fibrous Veggies
Vegetables are vital to a healthy diet. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and provide you with much-needed fiber. Also, they fill you up, so that you to eat less of the bad stuff. Start your lunch and dinner off with a salad, but be careful to not overdo the fatty dressings, cheese, or nuts.
Focus on eating healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats and Omega-3s. However, use them sparingly, as they are high in calories.
If you consume dairy, avoid products that are whole fat. Instead, consume nonfat or 1 percent options.
Protein is essential to a healthy diet. Focus on those that are lean: white-meat poultry, fish, beans, low-fat dairy, and egg whites. Try to avoid red meat, or at least eat it no more than once a week.
At this point, you know what you should and shouldn't eat. You've broken bad habits and started healthier ones. Now it is time to commit to these changes for good. That is the most important part of starting a new and healthier lifestyle!
Brett Blumenthal is the founder of Sheer Balance and author of the #1 bestseller "GET REAL" and STOP Dieting!, a simple, straightforward, no-nonsense plan that reveals how to eat healthy ... without dieting.
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