| Weight loss is not just about changing what you | | | | cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables, |
| eat, it's also about adding more exercise activities | | | | and fruits -- can help you feel full with fewer |
| during your week. | | | | calories. |
| We need to change our eating habits, to stop | | | | Another great tip: Prepare your meals and snacks |
| eating the junk foods and highly processed foods | | | | at home. This is a great way to save money, eat |
| and replace them with good, healthy foods. You | | | | healthy, and spend time with your family. When |
| need to eat foods that supply you with all the | | | | preparing meals, choose low-fat/low-calorie |
| nutrients that are required to keep our bodies | | | | versions of your favorite foods. |
| healthy. | | | | Snacks can comprise simple of a piece of fresh |
| Before making any changes, I recommend that | | | | fruit, cut raw vegetables, or a container of |
| you start a food and activity journal. In this, you | | | | low-fat yogurt. These are portable and an |
| not only write down what you eat, but where, | | | | excellent choice to tide you over until mealtimes. |
| when, and what you were feeling at the time. | | | | Take these snacks with you for a healthy |
| This will help you will see what triggers your | | | | alternative to chips, cookies, or candy. |
| hunger and what satisfies your appetite. What | | | | As I mentioned earlier, weight loss success also |
| foods do you routinely shop for? What snacks do | | | | requires that you increase your physical activity. |
| you keep in the pantry? | | | | Aim for at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 |
| Once you start to see patterns in your journal, | | | | minutes (children) of moderate intensity activity |
| you're ready to start taking action. But keep in | | | | for at least three or more days a week. If you |
| mind that deciding to reduce the calories, fat, | | | | are just starting to be physically active, |
| saturated fat, and sugar in your diet is a big step, | | | | remember that even small increases provide |
| and trying to do that at the same time you | | | | health benefits. Check with your physician first, |
| endeavour to make a drastic change in your | | | | and then start with a few minutes of activity a |
| physical activity level, may be biting off too much | | | | day and gradually increase, working your way up |
| change at one time. Which, sadly, can set you up | | | | to 30 minutes. If you already achieve 30 minutes |
| for failure. Instead of trying to make all the | | | | of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, you |
| changes at once, I recommend that you set | | | | can gain even more health benefits by increasing |
| smaller, more realistic goals for yourself and plan | | | | the amount of time that you are physically active |
| to add in a new challenge each week. | | | | or by taking part in more vigorous-intensity |
| Don't plan to starve yourself, either. This won't | | | | activities. |
| help you lose weight. It's much better to eat | | | | The balance of calories consumed against your |
| small, regular meals five or six times a day, so | | | | activity level will either cause weight loss or gain. |
| that the body never feels threatened and | | | | The more calories you eat, the more physical you |
| tempted to hold on to its fat stores. Eating | | | | need to be. For example for every 100 calories |
| regular meals also helps to maintain your blood | | | | you consume and not burn a day, you will gain |
| sugar at a constant level so that you don't start | | | | about 1 pound in a month. That's about 10 pounds |
| craving sugary food when your blood sugar levels | | | | in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, |
| drop. | | | | you must reduce your calories and increase your |
| Adding fibre to your diet -- such as whole grain | | | | physical activity. |