Losing weight that stays off is easier than you think. Here are a few tips to lose up to 16 pounds in a few short months.
- Stop Eating When You're Full: A lot of people continue to pick at food on the table or in the kitchen long after their stomach says, "enough!" Keep in mind that an extra spoonful of rice or an extra slice of bread, for instance, is about 120 calories - at minimum. After you've finished your meal, those surplus calories will probably get stored as fat unless you work them off. Is a slice of bread really worth all that extra exertion?Let's say you eat a little extra something that's about 120 calories five times a week. Without changing anything other than cutting out "extra" nibbling at the table, you could shed over two pounds in 12 weeks.
**If you're the type of person who picks at extra food throughout the day, whether it's one of your kid's Dino Nuggets, or an handful of chips after you walk in the door from work, you've fallen into the habit of unconscious eating. Chances are you're eating more that an extra 120 calories a day. Cut out on unconscious eating, and those two pounds could double to four in 12 weeks.**
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Add Ten Minutes Every Day: Each and every day, add ten minutes of purposeful exercise. For example, the average U.S. woman weighs about 160 pounds. If she too a 10-minute jog at a 10-minute mile each and every day, she'd lose an two pounds in 12 weeks. If you weigh more, you lose a little more. If you weigh less, you'll lose a little less. This ten-minute rule can be applied to anything including cardio, yoga, strength training, etc.**If you're the type of person that's already working out every day, but not seeing results, add in a 10-minute interval. Increase your pace or exertion level to a hard level for ten minutes and you'll get results. Consistent long and easy workouts do nothing other than create boredom and exercise burnout.**
- Cut Sugar in Half: The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. Weighing in a 45 calories a teaspoon, sugar is the public enemy #1 in the fight against obesity. If you cut your sugar in half, you'd lose 12 pounds in 12 weeks, and you'd be infinitely healthier, too! Don't think you're eating that much added sugar? Take a look at what's in your diet. Sugary cereals (including granola), fruit-flavored yogurt, energy bars, cereal bars, chocolate milk, salad dressing, ketchup and the obvious like soda, candy and cookies are full of the sweet stuff.
**If you're a big consumer of low-fat or fat-free foods, you probably eat more sugar than you realize. Read your labels and get to know the foods you're eating that do contain sugar, then cut them out. If you do decide to cut back on sugar, don't compensate for the caloric loss somewhere else. Cutting out sugary sodas is great, but if you add in a bunch of other foods that you normally wouldn't eat, you're back to square one.**
