A run of social events are enough to creep some unexpected weight on, and the sooner you lose it, the easier it will be. Motivation is one of the biggest pitfalls in losing weight. The trick is not to think too much about it - as the ad says: Just do it!
Walk it Off to Lose Weight
Stop what you are doing and get walking. Thirty minutes is a good amount of time to walk without impeding on the rest of your daily schedule. So much the better if it is the first thing you do when you wake up. Make it harder to procrastinate by preparing your shoes and socks and comfortable clothing so you drag them on while you are still half asleep. And remember to grab the water bottle you prepared the night before as you leave.
Agreeing to meet a friend, partner or neighbor is a good way to be accountable. The support they provide and the good humor can be invaluable, but they are also helpful when the time comes to step it up a notch: suggesting a longer walk, or to go faster and further. Even the incentive of walking together to the coffee shop can be a great carrot to dangle for those requiring motivation. Just be careful to order a healthy option once you get there. Alternatively, take along your furry friend, or put the toddler in their pram - they'll enjoy the fresh air as much as you will.
The first five minutes of your early morning walk are the hardest. After that time the fresh air and the scenery will serve to distract, and in no time at all you may feel downright smug that you are awake and doing something wonderful while the rest of the neighborhood still snoozes. Starting the day this way will give you a surprising amount of energy to face the day ahead because energy creates energy.
Try to pull your belly button in towards your spine as you walk in order to activate your core muscles. Remember it is important to be able to breathe when doing this simple exercise: there's no point doing it until it compromises your oxygen intake. This strengthens the lower back, improves posture and circulation and gives off confident body language, which may well translate to your own positive self image. It is very hard to remember to do this exercise or to keep it up once you have started, but a regular reminder during your walk will help and after continual repetitions, it will come more easily and more naturally and your muscles will strengthen surprisingly quickly.
After walking, it is important to stay upright and moving for as long as possible, as the walking will continue to have calorie burning effect as long as you are active afterwards. Try not to eat for half an hour after returning from a walk, and then assess hunger level first and prepare something accordingly.
Of course, if your lifestyle, your work or your environment aren't conducive to getting out and about, walking can be substituted with exercise equipment or a DVD. Dust it off and get it going - have the kids join in if you are in front of the television. But make it a regular feature, and remember to find other ways to get moving whenever possible, even if it means scheduling some help to watch the children while you take 30 minutes.
Healthy Choices for Weight Loss
We all know that drinking more water is good for us and a great way to help lose weight, but sometimes it's hard to remember and other times it is easier to be seduced into drinking something tastier and less healthy. Green tea and herbal teas can be a good substitute, and taking the time to discover your favorite from a vast menu of choices is worth the effort and can be a little luxury in itself. Still water, soda water and mineral water can all be jazzed up with natural juices (lemon juice is particularly cleansing) that help give a taste of freshness and a sense of virtue.
Downsize your meal portions: protein such as red meat and chicken should be in portions no larger than the palm of an average adult hand. This may be too big a leap to adjust to at first, so work down to it slowly, if necessary. It is the feeling of deprivation that causes most people to fall back into bad habits, so don't deprive yourself, but try and be a little stricter about meal sizes.
Go to the supermarket and stock up on the beautiful fruit that you love. Choose new and unusual fruit if they interest you and keep them within eyesight so they get eaten instead of turning mouldy in the bottom of the fridge.
Try not to eat on the run; sit down and make a ceremony of it, particularly if eating alone. Use a nice plate and a favorite glass. Take the phone off the hook and put some good music on. If at work, find a quiet corner, or a comfy spot outside. We fall into bad habits of eating on the run while we talk on the phone or as we drive and then we aren't really aware of having eaten.
Any or all of these things can be done today to start back on the road to health and weight loss, without too much thought or organisation. Every little step counts, so what are you waiting for?
For more creative ideas, check these articles out:
Easy and Creative Ways to Lose Weight
Alyson Hill - Alyson is finding her feet at 40! She lives on five acres in Australia with three kids, a husband, and a menagerie. And while she happily ...
