Weight Loss Wednesday - Ten Terrific Tips

Monday I posted my resolutions for 2010 and one of my goals is to lose thirty pounds. I will be posting my successes (and my failures) every week on our Weight Loss Wednesdays. If weight loss is one of your goals for this year, I would love it if you would join with me and post your goal and losses with me. (hence the A in SMART – Accountability)

As the first part of our Weight Loss Wednesdays, I decided to share Ten Terrific Tips to help you on your weight loss journey. You can use them all or just a few that work for you, but either way, you will be a bit closer to reaching your weight loss goal.

1. If you bite it, write it! If you nibble it, scribble it! This is a method used by Weight Watchers where you write down everything you eat so that at the end of the day, you can reflect on what you ate. I do this and I am often amazed at how much I eat in a day, especially when I consider all the BLT’s – Bites, Licks, and Tastes – that I ingest.

2. Eat often - Don't just limit yourself to three meals a day. You need to keep your blood sugar steady to ward off hunger pangs, and the best way to do this is to eat five or six small meals a day. Try to include a small amount of protein each time to keep your tumbly from getting the rumblies.

3. Don’ be a closet dieter! Make your diet public! There's no reason to be ashamed that you're trying to lose a few pounds. Telling others will increase your accountability which, in turn, will add to your motivation. We would love you to share with your Girlfriends at Girlfriends with Grace. We would love to support you!!

4. Make only one change at a time - Keep at it until it becomes automatic, then add another change. If you continually build upon reinforced habits, you won't become overwhelmed and give up.

5. Never eat directly from a bag or box - It's too easy to mindlessly munch away half a bag of pretzels and even if it's a diet-friendly snack you'll have eaten several servings before you're done. Put your serving on a plate or in a bowl and put the package away.

6. Think about whether you're really hungry – Many times thirst or fatigue are mistaken for hunger. Maybe instead of that snack, you're really in need of water or a quick nap.

7. Have your dessert out - Go to the ice cream stand to have a cone or have a small dessert when eating out. Why? So you won't have any tempting treats laying around the house, calling your name.

8. Slow down and enjoy your food – Use of the ‘fork down’ trick is encouraged - always place your fork down between bites and do not pick it back up until you've chewed and swallowed the bite you have.

9. Increase your fiber intake – In a perfect world, this would be by eating more fruits and vegetables, but in a realistic world you might need a supplement to help out.

10. Know that you will stumble – You are going to have days when your PMS or your emotions will get the best of you! Don’t beat yourself up about it, but on the other hand, don’t use it as an excuse to completely blow your diet. Let yourself know you probably shouldn’t have eaten the entire bag of Reese Eggs and move on… see how easy it is?

There you go – ten terrific tips for keeping your diet on the right track. Think about tip number three and consider posting your weight loss goal and your weekly success. Remember, your Girlfriends With Grace are here for you!

Michelle
Goal - 31 pounds