| We've probably all found ourselves, at one time | | | | habits. Do you pack a lunch for work or eat out? |
| or another in our lives, wanting to lose some | | | | If you eat out, chances are you're going to be |
| weight. Whether you're trying to take off some | | | | eating something less healthy than you would |
| pounds gained during the holiday season, preparing | | | | make for yourself, and probably a larger portion |
| for a summer trip, or simply looking for a way to | | | | as well. By getting up a little earlier each morning |
| feel more fit and healthy, trying to lose weight is | | | | and preparing your own lunch, you're not only |
| rarely a bad idea. Here's some ways you can lose | | | | saving money, but your incorporating a healthy |
| 10 pounds: | | | | eating choice in your routine. This is much easier |
| Tip #1: Diet | | | | to do then having a list in your head and |
| This is the most obvious starting point, yet one | | | | constantly reminding yourself of what you can |
| that is commonly overlooked. Most people, when | | | | and can't eat. |
| they're trying to lose 10 pounds, think of things | | | | Not only are lifestyle changes easier to enforce |
| like cutting out junk food and avoiding snacks. | | | | than hard and fast diet rules, they're also more |
| While this is no doubt important, it is not | | | | permanent. Simply look at your daily routine for |
| necessary to starve yourself if you're looking to | | | | places where you could incorporate a bit of |
| lose 10 pounds. | | | | exercise: take the stairs instead of the elevator; |
| The most important things to consider in terms | | | | walk instead of taking the bus. These changes will |
| of your diet are balance and proportion. If you | | | | not only make you lose weight, but you'll feel |
| want to lose 10 pounds for good, you're going to | | | | healthier and better without having to constantly |
| have to think in terms of your overall eating | | | | chastise yourself for breaking dieting "rules." |
| habits. By changing your eating habits permanently | | | | Tip #4: Planning |
| for the better, the weight you lose will stay lost. | | | | If you want to lose 10 pounds, it's imperative that |
| Your daily intake of food should include a well | | | | you have a plan. The chances of you being |
| balanced proportion of protein, carbohydrates, and | | | | successful are very unlikely if you collect an odd |
| vegetables. Variety is the key to this. Ask | | | | batch of advice here and there and implement it |
| yourself: can you name more than 3 vegetables | | | | sporadically. First, think of a realistic timeframe in |
| that you eat regularly and enjoy? Or more | | | | which you want to lose 10 pounds. When you're |
| generally: how many different "meals" do you | | | | doing this, keep in mind how much time you're |
| make for yourself during an average week? Most | | | | willing to devote it, and how much you're willing to |
| people in answering these questions will realize | | | | affect your daily routine: it's going to take more |
| that there's not as much variety to their diet as | | | | work to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks than it is to |
| they may of thought. | | | | lose 10 pounds in a month, for example. |
| When trying to lose 10 pounds, you also have to | | | | Although healthy weight loss requires a balanced |
| try to be in tune with your body as much as | | | | solution, when planning, pick which aspects of |
| possible. You probably don't realize, unless you | | | | weight loss you'd like to focus on more: do you |
| think about it, how little you adhere to your | | | | want to devote more time to exercise, and have |
| body's needs. Most people eat roughly the same | | | | more flexibility with your diet, or vice versa? |
| amount at the same time every day. While this is | | | | When coming up with a weight loss plan, be |
| convenient, it doesn't necessarily sync up with | | | | realistic and think about how much time and |
| what you need. Ask yourself: are you always | | | | effort you're willing to commit. |
| hungry when you eat? Do you stop eating when | | | | Making a weight loss plan is important because it |
| you're full, or do you eat all of whatever you've | | | | gives you goals and something to stick to. Make |
| made? | | | | your plan specific: don't say "I'm going to exercise |
| These simple changes in dietary habits can work | | | | this week," say "I'm going to exercise every day |
| wonders, and render you goal of losing 10 pounds | | | | for 30 minutes when I get home from work." Try |
| less daunting than it probably seems. | | | | to come up with goals and expectations for |
| Tip #2: Exercise | | | | yourself every day, so you can benefit from a |
| This is another fundamental step in losing weight. | | | | regular sense of achievement. |
| You're not going to be able to easily lose 10 | | | | The basic outline of your plan should incorporate |
| pounds though dietary habits alone. Exercise must | | | | both diet and exercise. A good way to start is to |
| become a part of your lifestyle. | | | | research a few healthy meals and plan to make |
| The problem many people face is that they feel | | | | them in your first week. This is more enjoyable |
| they don't have the time for exercise. Granted, | | | | than simply making a list of things you can't eat: |
| not everyone may have time to get to the gym | | | | you'll learn how to cook new things, and you'll |
| every day, but there are many things you can do | | | | have the satisfaction of preparing an enjoyable |
| at home: besides sit-ups and other equipment-free | | | | meal. The same goes for exercise: come up with |
| exercise, equipment like a treadmill, Stairmaster, | | | | some activities for the week. These don't have |
| or exercise-bike can allow you to lose weight | | | | to be boring, work-type, exercise activities. Think |
| without a gym membership. | | | | of things like playing a sport, or taking a hike. |
| In terms of the time involved in trying to lose 10 | | | | Tip #5: Sticking to Your Plan |
| pounds, many of you may be saying that you | | | | It is crucial, of course, to keep your goal in mind - |
| barely have enough time in the day as it is, let | | | | losing 10 pounds - and to realize that it's not going |
| alone adding exercise to the mix. If you have an | | | | to happen if you don't stick to your plan. The two |
| exercise-bike, treadmill, or other similar equipment | | | | vital components to sticking to your plan are to |
| however, your exercise routine can easily be | | | | make your plan specific and realistic, and to come |
| combined with other activities you enjoy and | | | | up with a reward system. |
| make time for, like watching television or listening | | | | As much as possible, have your plan include a |
| to music. In this way you'll find exercising doesn't | | | | specific thing each and every day. For example, |
| require that you make time as much is it requires | | | | come up with a specific meal you're going to |
| you change your way of doing activities you | | | | cook, and a specific activity for every day of the |
| already do. | | | | week. Not only does this give you more direction, |
| Tip #3: Lifestyle | | | | but allows for an achievable goal every day. |
| Now you not only want to lose 10 pounds, you | | | | Once you've come up with your specific daily |
| want those 10 pounds to stay lost, right? A way | | | | goals towards losing 10 pounds, think of some |
| to ensure success with keeping that weight off is | | | | rewards. Keep in mind of course, that your |
| to make some lifestyle changes. | | | | rewards should not include unhealthy eating or |
| Everyone becomes accustomed to their routines, | | | | activities. Tell yourself, for example, that if you |
| and it's difficult to force changes on those | | | | meet all your goals for a given week you're going |
| routines. One of the reasons many people fail with | | | | to go a movie or attend an event you've been |
| a task like losing 10 pounds is that it seems to | | | | wanting to see. |
| require too much discipline and work. While a | | | | This sticking to your plan and rewarding yourself |
| certain amount of stick-to-itiveness is no doubt | | | | element is often overlooked in weight loss |
| necessary, you'll find it much easier to lose weight | | | | attempts, and is why many fail. The reason has |
| if you incorporate changes into your lifestyle. A | | | | to do with the cycle of self-esteem. If you've |
| diet and exercise routine is almost certain to fail if | | | | made the decision that you want to lose 10 |
| it conflicts with your daily routines. | | | | pounds, it's likely that you don't feel as good |
| For example, if you live a reasonable distance | | | | about yourself as you could. If you fail to meet |
| from work, try biking instead of driving. What | | | | your goals and to reward yourself, this self-doubt |
| you're doing here is incorporating exercise in to | | | | will increase and it will be tempting to scrap the |
| your normal routine: work is something you go to | | | | entire weight loss attempt. |
| every day anyway --all you're doing is changing | | | | Think of your goal of losing ten pounds as a |
| the way you get there. Changing the way you do | | | | project, and think of how a business approaches |
| something that you already do is far more | | | | a project: with very specific and regular targets |
| convenient than starting something new, and | | | | that are met. Your feeling of self satisfaction will |
| biking to work is much easier to incorporate into | | | | grow as you continue to meet your targets, and |
| your lifestyle then going to the gym every day. | | | | as you begin to feel better about yourself it will |
| The same principle can be applied to your eating | | | | become easier to set and reach loftier goals. |