Trying To Lose Weight And The Scales Won’t Budge?

Need to lose weight, but your dieting efforts are producing little to no results. Most of us make dieting/losing weight a big process–a complete change. Sometimes we just have to make a few simple changes to start getting good results.

We know the right foods to eat and despite our good eating habits, the scales just won’t budge. You might just need more activity or small changes in your diet to increase your metabolism. Here are a few easy ways to tweak your efforts and start getting the results you want:

Shape Up In 2018!

One easy weight loss trick I learned years ago is to eat at least 5 fruits/vegetables in a day. Think about a typical day for you. Do you sometimes get to the end of a day and have included few, if any, fruits or vegetables in your diet? When I realize that is happening to me, I have to re-evaluate my eating habits. Adding at least 5 servings is a healthy thing to do and it fills me up…so hopefully I won’t eat so many of the empty calorie snacks.

Here are some great reasons to start eating more fruits and vegetables:

Shape Up By Making Small Changes

 

It’s that time of the year! About now we begin realizing we have gained some pounds because of all the eating we do between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whether you need to lose 10 pounds, 25, 50 or more – it is time to start eating healthy and lose those pounds. Why do you want to lose weight? Is it for your appearance—so your clothes will fit comfortably again—or is it for your health?

Here are a few tips—and we will include more motivational tips in next week’s email:Incorporate strength and cardio training into your daily routine. You need both to tone muscles and rev up your metabolism. Do exercises to work your largest muscle (butt muscles—glutes) and your abs (for that flat belly). One thing that can derail your efforts is an injury so be sure to warm up before every exercise session. Use a tracker and you will tend to challenge yourself and increase your normal activity. I even have a tracker on my phone that measures steps taken in a day. Aim for 10,000 steps. Is that way more than you are now walking? Start where you are now and add 1000 steps. Challenge yourself and try to increase your goal each week.

Drink your water—some experts say to drink ½ of your body weight in ounces. If you weight 140—that will be 70 ounces of water a day. Did you know that many of us walk round in a state of dehydration most of the time? If you are increasing your physical activity, it is important to stay hydrated. And drink a glass of water before eating a meal—it really works!!

There Are Good Fats?

You want me to eat FATS? Really? In all my years of dieting, I thought I was to avoid fats in order to lose weight? I thought I had to avoid fats to protect my heart and keep my cholesterol down. And now you want me to eat fats?

From my research, the key is knowing which fats are good for us. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines tell us to get around 10% of our daily calories from fats.  The HEALTHY FATS- unsaturated fats which include polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Both mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Healthy fats are not packaged processed foods, fried foods, cakes, cookies, etc.  which contain saturated or trans fats

So what are some of these Healthy Fats?

Need Help In Reaching Your Fitness Goals?

I know I am not the ONLY ONE!! I read and study nutrition, dieting and exercise. I mentally prepare myself to start a diet…to start exercising…to drink enough water…to just get myself back on track. I have the day planned for starting my new LIFE….and a week later, I am no better off than I was before.

My intentions are good—I know what to do!! Why don’t I just do it? I beat myself up because I am not stronger and I don’t stick with a plan.  I don’t want to have a perfect body—just one that is healthy and that I am proud of.

The times I have done really well with diet and exercise were when I had a friend partnering with me. Is it accountability? Maybe, but I think it is more than that. The times when I was ready to ditch my diet or skip my gym day, my friend would be having a good day and would encourage me! And I would do the same for her on her weak moments.

So try to find a buddy with similar goals and watch your successes add up!!

Confessions of a Serial Nighttime Eater

I confess—I am a serial nighttime eater! I am almost a model eater during the day—picking healthier foods, always staying low fat to protect my heart, including lots of fruits and veggies and I don’t eat in between my meals. Yeah, I learned all the tricks of dieting from many weeks of Weight Watcher meetings and reading articles on dieting and healthy eating.

 

Many years ago I began having sleep problems and would wake up multiple times nightly. I would get so miserable from not being able to sleep or from small aches and pains that I wound up getting something to eat (my comfort food ????). Apparently I set up a pattern through years of doing this and now I wake up and just get a bite to eat. I have tried eating my favorite fruit, watermelon, at night. Weight Watchers says fruits are unlimited!! You can guess what all the watermelon causes!! I am awake extra times just to go to the bathroom.

Sweat-Free Ways to Look Thinner

Summer is quickly approaching and we will have many hot, humid days. We cannot cover up with baggy sweatshirts and sweaters—unless we want to live in air conditioning!! NO!! We want to be active and enjoy outside activities including swimming. Let’s get ready for summer so we can be proud of our bodies. Are they perfect bodies? Probably not, but we want to be in the best shape possible. All it takes is making a few changes in our daily routines.

Have you read our last two articles for hints on getting in shape? If you missed those, get some inspiration by reading these two blog articles:

Shed Winter Weight Now

Little Changes to Shed Winter Weight