Achieving and maintaining a slim and fit figure can be effortless for some women, while for others, it can feel like a dreaded chore. If your weight situation is getting serious, it’s essential to adopt a long-term approach to losing weight. Avoid resorting to drastic measures like pulling teeth, which may offer temporary results but won’t keep the weight off for good. Instead, focus on substituting unhealthy habits with healthier ones that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine. The following tips will get you started on the right path towards achieving lasting weight loss.
1. Stock up on brown rice
Always keep a container of cooked brown rice in the fridge for a quick, low-fat alternative to enriched white rice, which is stripped of essential nutrients.
2. Get gum
Chew sugarless gum while you cook so you won’t nibble. According to various studies, gum can also reduce sweet snack cravings.
3. Exercise while you cook
If you have the room, keep small exercise equipment (such as free weights) in the kitchen. You can get in a few reps while you’re waiting for something to cook.
4. Shop smart
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where most fresh fruit, vegetables, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy are all located. Venture into the interior aisles only with a list in hand. Avoid processed foods like cheese, canned vegetable, ready made meals, and packaged cakes.
5. Forget frying
Only broil, roast, or grill your fish, poultry, or other cuts of lean meat. Frying foods in oil causes them to lose water and absorb fat, adding extra calories.
6. Switch to mustard
Yellow mustard has no fat or calories, versus about 11 grams and 99 calories in 1 Tbsp of mayonnaise.
7. Give away temptation
After a dinner party, pack up the dessert and give it to your departing guests.
8. Break your bread habit
Have the bread basket removed as soon as you sit down at a restaurant. Bread and butter can add anywhere between to 100 to 200 calories to your meal.
9. Don’t serve family style
Make up individual plates and avoid family style meals to maintain portion control and to keep yourself from overeating.
10. Make soups ahead of time
If you refrigerate your soups, excess fat will float to the top, making it easy to scoop out before reheating.