When it comes to dieting, you probably already know that slow and steady wins the race. But that doesn’t mean the occasional jumpstart won’t help. If you are already following a healthy eating and exercise plan, simply try making these five easy changes to turbocharge your weight loss efforts.
Move more (whenever you can!)
Can you park further away from the office? Can you take the stairs instead of the elevator? These are the types of questions you should begin asking yourself to find opportunities to move more throughout the day.
Here’s a great trick to try: While watching your favorite show, instead of fast forwarding through commercials, get up and jog in place, jump rope, do push-ups, etc. for the duration of the commercial break. Use the rest of the show as resting intervals.
Do you get a lunch break at work? Head out to a park, and maybe do a few laps around the walking trail before sitting down to eat. Not only will this help you get moving more, it can also help with digestion.
Stay hydrated
Sometimes, particularly if we are distracted, our first signals of dehydration can be so weak that our bodies immediately mistake them for hunger. In other words, your body is telling you that it needs something, and your brain automatically decides that the something is food. So you wind up eating when all you really needed was a glass of water.
A great way to make sure that these mixed signals never make it to your brain is to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. Have water with you in the car, at your desk, at home, in class, or anywhere else you will be for an extended period of time. Drinking water throughout the day will also help you feel more full, and you will be less likely to snack.
Write it down
We do not always have a good recollection of everything we eat throughout the day. Did we grab a handful of candy in the kitchen while we were waiting for dinner to cook? Did we eat a snack in the car while we were driving home? One way to control the amount of food you’re putting into your body is to make yourself accountable for all of it.
A food diary forces you to write down and consider each thing you are eating. It’s easy to mindlessly finish off a bag of chips, but if you have to write down the calorie content of those chips before eating them, you might think twice.
Pack your own meals
It’s hard to control your calorie intake if you have no idea how your meals are being prepared or what, precisely, went into them. Eating out often means eating far more calories than you intended. Even a salad prepared at a restaurant may contain close to 1,000 calories.
Your best bet is to prepare as many meals as you possibly can yourself. This way, you know exactly what went into them, you can control your portion size, and you can keep track of your calorie count for the day.
Check out supplements
Safe weight loss supplements can help give your metabolism a boost, especially if you are stuck on a plateau or are struggling with intense feelings of hunger. Look for products with good reputations and long track records of success. For example, Garcinia Extra offers a weight loss supplement which has helped thousands of people achieve their weight loss goals safely.
Accountability is key. Remember to keep an eye not only on the food you are eating, but also on your hydration, your movements, and any supplements you choose to take. Taking this more active role in your eating can help boost your weight loss, even in just one week.
