As the New Year dawns, many of us are planning to lose weight or eat healthier. This is the time of year when many join gyms, establish weight loss goals, swear off sugar or carbs or one particular food or food component. While it's wonderful to set goals and strive for healthier lifestyles, sometimes our desire to lose weight or become more fit requires so much restriction that we find ourselves falling short of goals, our will power drained and our self-esteemed deflated. In my own experience, the best way to approach weight loss and weight management is through the least restrictive, most balanced approach. While it may take you longer to lose the weight, more than likely you'll keep it off for much longer. Losing weight and eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Here are a few tips:
Avoid processed items. Stick with real food.
Much of our weight gain can be attributed to the refined sugars and flours found in over 90 percent of processed foods. Instead of giving up sugar or fat or carbohydrates, try to shop only for whole foods—foods that contain only itself as an ingredient, like fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, lean meats, etc.
Slow down while eating; have meals with friends and family.
Weight gain occurs both as a result of what we eat as much as a result of how we eat it. Overeating—eating past the point when you feel satisfied—is one of leading culprits of those extra pounds that sneak up on you seemingly from nowhere. You can easily avoid overeating by consuming your meals more slowly. Sharing meals with others over conversation is the best way to do just that. Slowing down your eating will help you enormously in becoming aware of when you are full, thus helping to avoid those moments when you stuff yourself from simply eating too fast.
Add color to your plate.
Ensuring that your meals are visually appealing, by incorporating as much color as possible (think green from spinach, red from tomatoes, yellow from squashes or bananas) tricks your mind into eating less. Also, it has been proven that more colorful (whole) foods have more nutrients.
Drink plenty of water.
Most people go through their day in a state of mild to moderate dehydration, which can lead to headaches, fatigue, and feelings of hunger. By drinking at least eight glasses of water every day, you'll be fuller for longer periods of time, and you'll have the energy to get more physical activity into your daily routine, thereby aiding and maintaining weight loss. Water also helps to flush out toxins and keep your bowel movements regular, which is essential in successfully losing weight.
Treat yourself to your favorite foods in moderation.
Completely depriving yourself of guilty pleasures like desserts means that one day your will power will weaken to the point that you'll binge on your forbidden treat. Make sure to reward yourself at least once a week with an item that you enjoy. Just have one small portion and savor it without feeling guilty. You'd be surprised by how little this "bad" foods contribute to weight gain if enjoyed once in a blue moon.
Losing weight this year doesn't have to mean following a very strict diet or exercising to the point of exhaustion. All you have to do is commit to eating well and eating mindfully. The weight loss will then take care of itself.
Author Bio: Hajera Blagg is a freelance writer based in Houston, TX. She often contributes content to Online Nursing Universities
