12 Promising Tips to Loose Extra Weight

by: Arlene Gentallan

1. CUT DOWN 500 CALORIE EACH DAY TO LOOSE 1-2 LBS (2.2-4.4 KG) PER WEEK

    Large calorie (kcal, Cal) is a measure of the amount of energy you get from the foods you eat. Daily caloric intake depends on several factors like age, weight, height, level of physical activity, and metabolic rate. Caloric intake varies from one individual to another because of the differences among these factors.

    To loose weight, you will need to cut down on your caloric intake. So that means, eating less. Crash diet isn't the answer since it can pose danger to your health. It is recommended that you cut around 500 calorie from your daily calorie intake. This will result to you loosing about 1 to 2 pounds in a week.

   
    List of Caloric Content of Foods It's important you know how much calorie your food contains so you'll know which food you'll limit or avoid.

MONITOR YOUR WEIGHT REGULARLY AND HAVE A DIARY IN WHICH TO RECORD IT TO BE ABLE TO TRACT YOUR PROGRESS.

2. Don't skip meals

    Eat a balance diet with the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, water, nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

    Schedule a meal and snack pattern that suits you. Do not skip a meal since this will only cause you to get hungry and overeat. Eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Schedule a morning snack and afternoon snack in between. Avoid midnight snack. Avoid sleeping late at night.

3. Enjoy your food; Avoid distraction

    Don't hurry. Take it slowly. Enjoy your meal. There's studies showing that people whose attention is not focus on the food they are eating, tend to overeat.

• Avoid watching TV while eating
• Eat at your table. Avoid eating on the go.

4. Limit Salt

    Salt (also known as sodium) is important for the function of our body but too much of it is harmful. Salt retains water which add up to your weight. High salt is also linked to other health problems such as hypertension. Limit salty foods:

• Processed foods like bacon and ham
• Canned goods
• Noodles
• Fast foods
• Cheese

5. The Magic of Sugar

    Consuming sugar triggers a good response from our brain which makes us feel good, unfortunately these foods usually have high calorie content. Sweets can power our craving. It can also make us feel hungry. Limiting sugary food is a must:

• Cookies
• Cakes
• Soft drinks
• Jam
• Candies

    Glucose is a simple sugar which is our main energy source. It can be broken down from carbohydrates. Fructose, on the other hand, is a type of simple sugar found in fruits. High fructose corn syrup contains higher amount of fructose. High fructose corn syrup is a popular commercial additive because it is cheaper and sweeter than glucose.

    While your liver store glucose as carbohydrates, fructose is stored as fat. It increases triglyceride production. High triglyceride is dangerous to you. It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and stoke. High fructose corn syrup is found in many commercial products like cookies, cake, softdrinks, jam, and candies. Table sugar (aka. sucrose) is half glucose, half fructose. Read the label of a food product before you buy it to check if it contains high fructose corn syrup.

6. Drink water

    There are times when we mistake hunger for thirst. There are times when drinking a glass of water is what all it takes to satisfy your tummy.

    There are many considerations when it comes to daily recommended water intake like age, sex, level of activity, geography, and metabolism. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends a daily water intake of 11 cups or 2.7 liters for adult women and 15 cups or 3.7 liters for adult men. The 8 glass of water intake per day is outdated.

7. Develop an Exercise Regimen

    Religiously following a daily exercise regimen is one of the best way to loose weight. If you can't motivate yourself, find an instructor or a friend that will accompany you. Take up zumba lesson.

    The best exercise to loose weight are cardio exercise (aka. aerobic exercise). It is a form of exercise that raises your heart rate. Did you know that high-intensity exercises done at short duration raises your metabolism up to 24 hours after the exercise and it burns more calories. You can combine high-intensity short duration exercise with low/medium intensity exercise. Like walking then adding jogging for 1 minute every 5 minute interval.

    Examples of high intensity cardiovascular exercise are:

• Running
• Jumping rope
• Jogging
• Lap swimming

    Examples of low intensity cardiovascular exercise are:

• Brisk walking
• Cycling with moderate effort
• Yoga
• Frisbee

8. Get enough sleep

    Sleeping at least 8 hours a day actually pays. Did you know that you burn more calories when you are asleep that when you're awake just sitting there doing nothing. Sounds like a lazy way to loose weight, but sleeping does a number of important things to you like consolidating your memory and repairing your body.

    Think about it, you actually burn more calorie while you sleep while you tend to overeat when you are sleep deprived.

       The Power of Nap

    Taking a nap during the day, especially when you are feeling tired and stress helps replenish your energy and burn down calorie.

9. Anxiety and Stress

    Being subjected to chronic stress can trigger us to overeat. That's why being able to handle stress is important. Although, eliminating stress in today's modern world is almost impossible, there are certain ways we can lessen them:

• Listen to music to cheer you up.
• Have a proper work life balance. Take a break.
• Don't overwork yourself. Recognize when you've had enough.
• Give yourself a token for a job well done.
• Schedule a vacation for yourself with your family.
• Do your best so you won't regret the rest.

10. The Evil Craving

    What is the difference craving and hunger? Craving is when you want to indulge a specific food even when you are full. So it's the desire to eat a specific food even when you are not hungry.

    So you're in diet...calorie reduction...regular exercise. All for the sake of attaining that slim and fit body built you've always wanted. What's the worst part of dieting? Is it the fact that most of your favorite foods are on the "no" list? Or is it the truth that you're still far away from reaching that desired weight?

    All of a sudden, out of nowhere, an image of a delicious desert grips your senses. You can't think of anything aside from this forbidden fantasy. In just a second, you loose it all. You may reason that the animal inside of you ate the chocolate cake, but it doesn't matter, because before you know it, you're pack full of carbs.

    Craving can ruin your diet commitment. There are times when craving becomes so powerful it's impossible to control. Hey! At some point, we all experience craving. But there are things you can do to help yourself and attain the figure you've always wanted. Here are tips to avoid craving:



    A. TAKE A BITE

    Eating just a small portion of a craved food can relieve one's craving...

    But in some people, taking just a small bite from the food can trigger them to loose their senses and consume a larger potion of the food.

    So you have to watch out and do what best works for you. Know yourself: Is one bite enough to satisfy your craving or do you have to totally avoid it?



    B. The Wonder of Peppermint Scent

    Our sense of smell has a profound effect to our appetite. In a study conducted by psychologist Bryan Raudenbush (professor at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia) people who sniff peppermint tend to eat less.



    C. Why not do something else...

    If you keep thinking about a certain food, chances are it can get the better of you. So you have to stop thinking of it. Find activities that will divert your attention. Even simple activities like reading your favorite book, listening to music, taking a shower, and watching a non food-related TV show are good distractions.

    Craving is something that don't last long. It goes away. There are times when you just have to bear and ignore it.

    Productive non-stressful diversions are highly recommended. Have you ever played a computer game like dota and tetris and experienced seeing flashbacks of the game itself whenever you close your eyes even after you're done playing it. Playing computer games maybe non-productive but if all else fails why not try this alternative?

11. Develop a habit

    Habit is a strong determiner if whether or not you will succeed and maintain it. You don't want to be tempted and loose control. So you have to develop a routine you find comfortable and doable. Proper diet coupled with exercise.




    Lastly but most importantly is...

12. Master Discipline

    Let me tell you, nothing is impossible if you give your 100%. Whatever you set your mind to do, you can. Discipline can make or break everything. All of the above tips wont't matter if you don't have the determination. It's just a matter of discipline and proper mindset.

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