Bikini? Maybe next year . . .
If your plans for a bikini summer have been dashed again, maybe it’s not too early to be thinking about next year. With the next bathing suit season just, oh, 40 weeks away, you can plan to lose 40 pounds by then through making small and simple changes now! Here’s a great strategy to get the weight off without going on a diet. This means the weight won’t be melting off, but you won’t be in a hurry because (a) you have time on your side, and (b) you won’t be starving and suffering!
Each week, choose something you can change in your diet to make it more healthy, then keep up that new habit. Most people know what they are eating that’s sabotaging their weight loss: they just don’t want to give everything up and they don’t know where to begin. So begin by making a list of five ways you can change your diet, very simply and very specifically. Consider things you can add to your diet as well as things you know you should avoid. Adding things, even though they are good for you, changes the ‘diet’ mentality of giving things up and sheds light on a better perspective during the time you’re starting to make these changes. It might look something like this:
1. Eat breakfast every day: a bowl of cereal or an english muffin or a yogurt with fruit would be great selections
2. Keep a food diary: writing down what you eat makes you more aware and gives you time to stop and rethink your decision
3. Bring lunch to work: having something healthy already prepared lessens your chances of giving into the temptation of going out for fast food or a buffet
4. Have a fruit after a meal instead of dessert five times a week: planning to never eat dessert again is setting yourself up for deprivation and failure. But if you always have dessert and you can reduce the number of times you do so, you’ll lose weight without feeling deprived.
5. Replace empty-calorie beverages for low-calorie beverages once a day: If you drink sodas, sweet tea, fruit punch, or other calorie-laden beverages, this can contribute greatly to excess weight. Thinking about giving up soda can be a scary plan for many people … but changing out one of your sodas for a no-calorie beverage might be very do-able. It will also lead to one pound of weight loss each month (that’s about 10 pounds by next swim-suit season–with just that one change!)
You probably know many more ways you can improve your eating habits, like choosing more whole grain foods, drinking more water, eliminating snacking in front of the TV, and getting more exercise. Choose something simple that you are ready for, and don’t plan on doing it every day–start with a few days a week. Track your success each week (some people like to keep a blog–whether public or private–to document their progress) and make note of each positive change you make, and keep, during the next three seasons. As fall turns to winter, and winter to spring, you’ll have established over a dozen new habits, one at a time, easily and reasonably. All of a sudden you’ll realize you’re actually eating a pretty healthy diet!
By next March you won’t have to be searching for a crash diet or some dangerous diet pills… you’ll be choosing a few more changes to make just to lose those last few pounds before you put on your bikini and head for the beach!
photo credit: bobster855
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About The Author: Laurie Beebe has been a registered dietitian for 25 years and is certified in adult weight management. Laurie currently serves as a Related posts:
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