Fat Loss Tips.

Losing weight the right way is about making small and simple changes to your lifestyle. It’s not about fad diets or exercising like crazy (though exercise certainly does help), rather it’s about changing the way you eat and even think about food.  For moms, taking any time for yourself can feel selfish, but don’t feel guilty about it. Losing weight and being healthy are two of the best gifts you can give you and your family.  So what can you do to set yourself off on a healthy weight loss program?  Here are 5 habits that will get you going on losing weight:

1.       Review your eating patterns - You need to find out our where your weight loss trouble spots are – are you a late night eater, a nibbler during meal preparation, or the human vacuum cleaner, sucking up the extra French fries on your kids’ plates? If you need help identifying your trouble spots, keep a food diary for a couple of days and write down everything – including all those “tastes” of pasta sauce, or the half a donut from the PTA meeting.   Seeing where you are and what you’re doing when you’re eating will be a big help to spotting the eating habits that are interfering with your weight loss.

2.       Always shop with a full belly - the highly organized displays at a grocery store always look more appealing when you’re shopping on an empty belly. Do not, I repeat, do not make the mistake of going into a grocery store hungry.  You’ll be tempted to nibble on a bag of chips while walking the aisles and adding junk food to the cart. Watch out for the tempting prepared meals at grocery stores – these are much like restaurant meals – sneakily full of more fat and calories than you would expect. Make a list of items you need before you hit the store, have a healthy and filling snack before you go, and a simple foray into Aisle 5 needn’t blow your diet for the whole week.

3.       Serve food on plates – Plate up dinner at the counter, and bring it to the table. Forgo the serving bowls and your reducing the temptation to keep eating after you have finished what’s on your plate. You can control your portion size by using simple visual guides – a serving of protein is akin to a deck of cards. Or, take an old container from a frozen diet meal and use that to gauge the size of your portion, and then transfer to your plate.   If you find yourself nibbling while dishing out the family dinner, consider asking someone else to do the honors – if they can honor your request for a proper portion size.

4.       Don’t eat after dinner – You’ve already had three full meals. Kitchen closed. Making a habit of not eating after dinner will help you in your weight loss program. If sheer willpower can’t do it for you, then consider turning the lights out, avoiding the kitchen or brushing your teeth. If you simply can’t make do without a little after dinner something, then try a piece of hard candy or a no-calorie drink, like tea.

5.       Plan your meals - Yes, successful healthy weight loss takes some planning. Plan out your menu for the week (or even the next few days), including a list of healthy snacks and make sure you have them on hand. Knowing what you’re going to eat takes the guesswork out of it, and if you’ve already spent the time to plan your healthy meals you won’t be tempted to derail your weight loss goals.

Healthy weight loss shouldn’t be hard. In fact by just changing (or adding) a few simple habit s you’re already committing to your weight loss goals.  These 5 tips and habits will help you plan a healthy weight loss program that will have you shedding the pounds in no time.