Weight-Loss Strategy #10. Be flexible. Don’t try to be ‘perfect’-there is no such thing.
While losing weight requires significant changes in eating and exercise habits, not every high-calorie food must be banished forever, and you need not exercise vigorously every day.
As we have said, if you find was to naturally incorporate physical activity into your daily life, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or adding an extra 2 minutes to your work out every day, each day for a week for a total of 14 extra minutes, you will be able to meet your goals.
If you feel in an exercise rut, try swimming instead of walking, or vice versa. Choose something you really enjoy, but if you find yourselg getting bored, move to Plan B.
Portion control will also help you with your relationship to so called forbidden foods. How big is a scoop of ice cream or piece of cake? If you go for frozen yogurt instead, will you really save calories? You might on the fat, but the sugar content then tends to be high.
It is easy to let your calories run away with you, especially if you think the product you are eating is ‘healthy’ so using smaller plates and bowls can often help. So can not eating seconds.
Whenever you can, try to make it homemade. That way you can have that fried chicken, but know exactly what went into it, thus avoiding the dangers of unwanted calories and hidden sodium and other unhelathy additives.
Also never assume you know what the healthy choice is—I was about to buy a tuna sandwich the other day as a treat in Subway, and then stopped—it was a staggering 1050 calories! The Veggie delight is only 450 for a foot long, and you can ask them to pack it with salad.
If you are not sure of the calorie ratings, look on the napkin!
Just as you should always read the label on any packaged food you buy.
These 10 strategies are simple enough to use every day, and flexible enough that you should not feel too deprived. Don’t think of it as a diet, but your new healthy lifestyle, one that will help you not ony lose weight, but keep it off in the future.
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