Five doesn’t seem like a huge number when it comes to throwing down a Lincoln to pay for lunch or applying the 5-second rule (I know you do it), but when it comes to losing weight, dropping 5 pounds can seem monumental. So I have learned to keep my goals within reason. Have a clear perspective and plan. After all shedding weight has to be attainable. A simple and sure way to lose 5 pounds would be to cut 200 calories per day through diet and / or exercise and in 3 short months you will have dropped those 5 pounds. Oh but if this seems a little slower than you would like try cutting 500 calories per day and you will realize those 5 pounds gone in one short month!
So how do you accomplish this simple to say, but maybe not so simple to implement idea? Here are a few things that you may find helpful.
Drink More Water
Research
indicates that chugging H2O curbs your appetite. In fact, in one study by the
American Chemical Society, dieters who drank water three times a day before
meals over 12 weeks shed about 5 pounds more than those who did not boost their
water intake. Water’s benefits don’t stop there: Agua also keeps you energized,
so you’ll have the vigor needed to burn additional calories in the gym, on the
tennis court, or wherever the day takes you. “Even being slightly dehydrated
can lead to feeling fatigued,” says personal trainer Jim White, RD, owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition
Studios in Virginia Beach, VA. And soda fiends out there can chop
more than 200 calories from their diets by replacing a 20-ounce bottle of
nondiet cola with some refreshing H2O.
Say No to a Side of Fries or Potato Chips
A
4-year study on the effect of lifestyle on weight gain revealed potatoes and
potato chips were closely linked to packing on pounds, which shouldn’t come as
a surprise. After all, a medium order of french fries is loaded with 380
calories, and a 1-ounce serving of potato chips adds 150 calories. Replace
these greasy sides with fresh veggiespr a side salad with light Italian dressing to save yourself hundreds of calories in
a week
Cut Down on Added Sugars
On
average, Americans consume 475 calories of added sugars daily, estimates Rachel
Johnson, RD, PhD, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont. You,
too, can do the math. Eliminating added sugars could save you thousands of
calories in a week. In fact, a study review published in the journal Public
Health Nutrition found that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
contributed to 20% of weight gain between 1977 and 2007. Other offenders
included cookies, cakes, doughnuts, and dairy desserts. To trim hundreds of
empty calories from your daily diet, check nutrition labels. “Look for anything
that ends in the letters "ose,” the biochemical ending for sugars, such as
sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and maltose, and the word syrup,” Johnson says. If
it’s sweetened, skip it.
Beware of Hidden Calories
Beware of Hidden Calories
We’ve
got to give credit where it’s due: Following reports about their high-calorie
eats, many restaurant chains have begun to disclose calorie information on
their menus. But while these eateries are off to a good start, a recent study
from Tufts University showed that the calorie counts that appear may be
incorrect. Researchers found that 19% of the foods they tested contained at
least 100—and in one case 1,000—calories more than what was stated on the menu.
Additionally, the biggest culprits of this calorie miscalculation were items
usually viewed as healthy choices (think salads and soups). This means even
diligent dieters may inadvertently consume more calories than they intend. The
best way to fight back: Learn appropriate portions for common foods and skip calorie-laden condiments and dressings.
