Simple Actions to Start Losing Weight (Part 2)
26. Check the nutrition information. When you eat, be aware of how much. Check the nutrition label, know the serving size, and make yourself accountable for how many calories you’re consuming even if you are not actively tracking them.
27. Give up cereal. This should not be considered a food, let alone breakfast for an adult. There are so many better options for breakfast. Start trying to incorporate some of them into your days. Yogurt with fruit is just as easy, and far better for you.
28. Pack your lunch for work. A little preparation can go a long way. Not only will you be eating better food than anything you could “pick-up,” you are also less likely to skip lunch on busy days. It is a lot easier to walk to the fridge than to figure out what you want and head out to get it.
29. Deal with stress. My career was highly stressful. I was constantly under pressure to get things done and be creative. A negative side to all that emotional overdrive was overeating. My nervous system was constantly on overdrive and my body was constantly hungry. If you have stressful things in your life, deal with them or change them. Stress is bad for your health and your weight.
30. Eat mindfully. Focus on your food, and listen to your body. Stop rushing through meals, and make them a time of peace and enjoyment.
31. Stop eating on the go. Sit down. Then eat.
32. Turn off the TV. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good dose of entertainment as much as the next guy. But television is ruining our lives. It is keeping us glued to the couch, mindlessly indulging in nonsense, and the food commercials—yep, they make you want to eat. Turn off the boob tube and go outside.
33. Try new foods. Experimenting with new foods and recipes can make eating well more fun. Reach outside your comfort zone and try some new dishes! You never know what you’ll discover.
34. Join a gym. Best thing I ever did. Even though it scared the poop out of me to do it.
35. Eat on a schedule. Routine is a blessing in life. By setting up an eating schedule, you are more conscious of preparing ahead for your meals. It also helps maintain your metabolic rate, and your blood sugar remains consistent instead of spiking up and down. I eat about every three hours during the day.
36. Choose whole grain. Whenever you can, choose whole grain over white. You will stay full longer, and be more satisfied. I was a lifetime white bread / white pasta / white rice kid, but I made the switch. It wasn’t nearly as hard as I told myself that it would be.
37. Keep a food diary. I had no concept of how much I ate during the day. I never actually tracked my eating before I started changing my eating habits. But knowing what I know now, I am sure it was a ridiculous amount of food and calories. Keep a record, start being accountable for what you eat.
38. Park further from the door. A little exercise you can easily incorporate into your days is far better than none at all. This is one of the first small changes I made last year.
39. Take the stairs instead. Another simple shift you can make in the course of your day.
40. Don’t skip meals. This should go without saying, but starving your body is never a good idea. Make sure you take time out from busy days to get your lunch or snack in. Today, I eat anywhere to ensure I don’t miss my snacks—including the grocery store and work meetings. Who cares what people think . . . this is about your health!
41. Eat less meat. I am from the Midwest where meat and potatoes reign supreme. I used to down about 8 ounces at any given meal. No one needs that much meat. A two to four ounce serving is more than enough when combined with good grains and vegetables.
42. Make soup. Not the kind from a can, which is loaded with a ridiculous amount of sodium and not much flavor. Make your own soup. At most thirty minutes of prep work, then leave to simmer. Soup is a great meal and so super delicious. Load it up with veggies and it keeps you quite full.
43. Eat Greek Yogurt instead. I never knew how good this stuff could be. Mainly because there are some crappy versions lining the shelves of your local supermarket. Again, I am a real food eater so I don’t mess with the fat free junk. I eat Fage Total (sometimes 2% if that is all that is available) exclusively. So. Freaking. Good.
44. Buy good cheeses. Real cheese is unmatched. Yes, it is more expensive than the pre-shredded stuff in the bag. At least, that is what you may think at first. But you would be wrong. Why? Because real cheese has so much flavor that you use far less. Saving calories and money. Trust me. Pick up a wedge of real parmesan cheese and tell me if it isn’t a million times better.
45. Don’t bring it home. The easiest way to shift your current eating habits, and incorporate better food into your life is to just leave the crappy stuff at the store. Bottom line: if it isn’t around, you can’t too much of it.
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