From Health magazine
What you do in the first few weeks of a new shape-up plan is the key to making sure the numbers on the scale keep heading south. “It’s not uncommon for dieters who start a plan to drop out after the first month because they haven’t learned the skills they need to stay on track,” says dream team psychology expert Judith Beck, PhD.
Ahead, our experts share the five must-do moves that will help you—and our Feel Great Weight star, Criminal Minds actress and new mom AJ Cook—get to your goal weight.
Secret #1: Make it easy on yourself.
“Do online grocery shopping to buy all of your staples at one time,” says diet expert Alyse Levine, RD. That way you won’t be tempted to browse the aisles weekly and impulse-buy cookies or chips. Then do yourself a big favor and donate your pantry stash of unopened personal binge-trigger foods to a shelter, she says.
Stock up on favorite healthy nibbles like grapes and almonds, and store them at eye level in the fridge and pantry. Also keep on hand practically instant, emergency dinners for when you’re too tired or famished to cook, like Amy’s Organic frozen meals or ingredients for mini pizzas (whole-wheat pitas with shredded mozzarella, frozen veggies, and marinara sauce). Make it convenient, and you’re way more likely to stay on track.
Secret #2: Have a plan for (minor) mess-ups.
Messing up is core to being human. Don’t beat yourself up for it, because then you risk giving up altogether—or having a pity-party food fest.
What to say to yourself after that slipup: “‘If I stop right now, it may not show up on the scale at the end of the week,’” diet-psych expert Beck says. “You’ll keep mistakes in perspective, gain confidence in your ability to get back on track, and keep losing weight.”
How to make up for it: “Eat a smaller next meal—some lean protein with salad or other nonstarchy vegetables,” Levine says. Goofed all day? Simply forgo your evening snack and stick to the plan the next day. “The worst thing you can do is try to starve yourself—you’ll end up bingeing by the time dinner rolls around,” she says. Missed a workout? Clean the house for an hour to make up for it, fitness pro Keli Roberts says. “Put on some motivating music, and dance as you clean. You’ll torch calories—and end up with a sparkling house.”
Next: Secret#3: Dress for the body you want
Comments (49)
The medications I must take have side effects which affect metabolism and cause weight gain. I exercise everyday vigorously and my diet has room for improvement but overall is good. It seems there is no way of battling the medications. Does anyone have any experience battling this?
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HI
I overweight 28 pound that I can available to lose what can i do??????? I am only 32 years old and I really want to lose all this extra pounds?
Great advice- the 5 steps
I hope to get started now I need to lose 60lbs
thanks
After my first child I was 60 pounds overweight. I tried everything to lose the weight. What I found to work for me was eating a big breakfast, medium sized lunch and a small, but filling dinner (brown rice, veggies with fish or chicken). I drank more water and only walked 15 minutes a day 3-5 days a week.
A reduction in total calories, comsuming an all natural(fruits, vegetables, brown rice, oatmeal(Fit & Active plain nonfat yogurt) or low cal-cereal,and sweet potatoes) healthy small feedings diet in moderation, no salt, no sugar and/or concentrated sweet, no fat and/or cholesterol-except for what is in lean meats (skinless chicken breast-turkey-fish-salmon-tuna-baked, boiled, indoor drill, toasted-oven and/or steamed-only), no processed foods of any kind, increase activity by walking/running (exhaling CO2 from the mouth)in A.M. hours with a small feeding prior can increase one knowledge/processing information, increase youth(decrease-gray hair, increase thickness and length),tripple ones energy level, overall weight loss is unbelievable with a fresh glowing look. Certain vitamins are a factor and should be included. Fluids=water or non-fat or low-fat milk. Spices and/or herbs that does not included salt or pepper.
I found 40 pounds overweight.I have been depress and stressfull whole my life.after this horrible overweight,I became much more depress .I am toooo hopeless to be able to lose it.Can u advise me pl?ty
I am very depressed and when my psychiatrist changed my medications, the side effects added up to about 20 pounds. Every task in the day is a huge effort when you are feeling down. The best tip I read that got me through this was to set very small goals for yourself. For example, if you want to start going for a walk in the morning, spend a month adjusting to waking up earlier to allow yourself the time to go, or even just getting dressed – who cares if you take your clothes off afterwards because it is only a stepping stone, its not your destination. If you are working towards changing your diet focus on one meal each month. A healthy breakfast for the first month and by the second month when you begin focusing on a healthy lunch as well, your healthy breakfast will have already become a routine. My health has been an obstacle and everything takes along time; accepting that things will not change in a week like i wanted it to was the hardest. Its hard to do little things, they feel so insignificant and silly but they really work. They sure take a while but you are doing it and in the process of acheiving your goal, no matter the speed. Best of luck!
i do not have a big weight problem,just baby fat though i have entered my teens.i am currently drinking herbal tea and i dont know if it works.i dont do exercise becoz i feel so lazy but i am trying to keep myself busy and active.do you think skipping a day will help?or wat other ways do you think will help me loose my weight problem.as i live in tanzania we dont have very special diet foods,so can you send me some local less fat options of food i could depend on for a while until i loose weight feeling great.you are my only help.
For Talisa
I’ve lost a lot of weight and kept it off for 4years. I find it very easy now to maintain my weight. My advice to you is to cut the fat. i know it’s really hard but you’ll get used to it. use less sugar, veggies should occupy half of your plate, a quater carbs,either bread,rice pasta or corn or wheat meal. chicken,turkey,eggs,fish will be the other quater. avoid red meat, ice cream, alcohol,chocolate until you have control on how much you can eat. potion size is very important too, walk atleast an hour everyday for exercise. good luck. by the way i’m african too so this is based on the food that we eat daily and is available.
I have a small trick – I love ice cream and now I put a 1/2 cup of fat free ice cream in a mid size dish and fill it with chopped fresh fruit, mix and it’s awesome and a full evening treat!
that’s a good idea! Another one I just found is to freeze the fruity yogurts I buy my husband. He says it’s every bit as good as the ice cream treats he’s craving.
Try having more sex. Or rubbing yourself to climax more often. Also, try giving a lot of blowjobs. Its good for the jawline and swallowing cum is very healthy. I cum in my wife’s mouth daily and she stays slim.
I have tried all possible ways of lossing weight but failed, i make exercises, some times fast for days apart from taking water, used tummy trimmers and slimming belts but in vain what can I do now?
Well, I’m probably the last person to be offering advice, but over the years, I’ve learned that fasting–especially for days!–is not good. Tummy trimmers and slimming belts are probably only helpful to those who sell them (they get money). A balanced diet (such as Weight Watchers) that is low in fat and calories and regular exercise (maybe 30 minutes per day) are what is necessary. Nothing extreme that leaves you weak from starvation.
Lately I’ve been trying to eat no more than 1500 calories p/day. I get on my Treadmill and walk/run (with intervals) for an hour burning between 600-800 calories. Do the calories I burned working out counts against my 1500 calories I eat leaving me with about 900 calories? or do I have to work out to burn 1500+ calories? to say I burn more than I eat?
Please clarify.
You need a deficit of let’s say 500 calories/day. Your body burns calories even when you sleep. SO if you are eating 1500 calories/day and when you run you spend 600 calories, you’ll have left 900. I recommend you to get more informed about this, is very important to know how to do it. I found a very good book on this: http://fitfun.expfatlos1.hop.clickbank.net/