I saw this post online and I think the writer really got it right. it would also help us here.
A lot of people start on a weight loss program by making a big change at a time. Sometimes, this can give a fast pay off with a lot of weight lost in the first couple weeks. On the other hand, it can be a very stressful way to start losing weight. The diet now becomes the centre of our lives and almost every moment seems to be spent buying, preparing or planning our food. We want to do all it takes at once just to get a healthy diet spending less time on some other important thing that could also help quicken weight loss. If we eat something that was not on the plan, we panic; we feel it is going to be the reason for our weight gain. Sometimes we make this an excuse for dropping out completely.
If this has often happened to you in the past, don’t you think you should try a different method? Instead of starting with a two-week crash diet or induction period, try changing one thing at a time.
-You could start the first 3-4 days staying hydrated by simply drinking enough water. Aim for at least two litres (approx. 64 oz, or 8 x 8 oz. glasses not including other drinks). – Just pure water.
-Now you can then look at your snacks. It’s good to eat little and often when losing weight, so plan 1 or 2 snacks in a day instead of stopping it out rightly all of a sudden. Also make sure that you have healthy food available for those snacks, this will reduce your craving for more snacks.
-Plan your breakfast in line with your eating plan. So at the end of two weeks, you are having enough water plus a healthy breakfast each day. Then you can move on to lunch, and finally dinner. This will slowly ease you into your new way of eating.
-You can get supplements that would help regulate and control your appetite, and also help in metabolism and fat burning.
-Get a simple workout plan. You can start with moderate intensity walk, relaxation yoga and bike ride and swimming.
This way, you don’t make a big deal out of the fact that you are trying to lose weight through dieting. People around you might not even notice you are on a weight loss dieting program. The weight loss would be more effective and you would be able to maintain it for very long time.
These are great tips. Another awesome tip is to get a personalised meal plan made for you - this way you get the right amount of calories, protein, fats, carbs. I actually make these, and see really good results with my customers as nutrition is the major reason that people end up overweight. What I find happens for a lot of people, is they dont know how to create a balanced meal plan and end up starving, or lacking in certain areas which is not good for anyone. Its easy to look up different diets on the internet, and get tips from a bunch of places - but the problem here is the recipes are not catered to the individual so it may be too many calories - meaning you dont lose weight or too little - meaning your lacking in energy, get cranky, and eventually quit. How are you doing on your weight loss journey?
That is basically what I did. One small change at a time, until litlle by little, I've gone from eating all the bad to mostly good. I still haven't given up my Cheerios for breakfast, but after that, I had soup and salad for lunch (no dressing) and for dinner I had a tunafish sandwich (first bread I've had all week), and a whole bunch of roasted veggies (potatoes, broccoli and asparagus). Thursday was similar, ate mostly veggies and lean protein after my Cheerios. I've gone from eating about a loaf of bread a week, to just a few slices now and then, and from drinking nearly 3 gallons of milk a week, to only about 1. Those two changes alone cut a LOT of calories.
I know breakfast is the next thing I'm going to have to improve on, but I've had a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast practically every day of my life. I honestly can't even remember when I started, I was so young. But I'm going to try to cut back to less Cheerios, less milk, and add in an alternate protein source, like scrambled eggs. Not every day, but some days, little by little, like I've done with all the rest of these changes.
By doing it this way, I've completely changed the way I eat (and I was someone who NEVER thought I'd be a veggie eater, because "I HATE VEGGIES", but by trying a new one now and then or a new preparation, I've found some that I like, and eat them a lot. (I discovered on Thursday night this week that roasted asparagus is amazing. Never tried it that way before.). I've gone from chips and ice cream and cookies to fruits and veggies and protein, and I actually enjoy them. Seriously, I was that horrible, picky eater who only wanted to eat foods that 5 year olds like. If I can do it, you can too, just do it slowly and be open to trying new things prepared in new ways. You don't have to like them, but you have to try them with an open mind, because MAYBE you'll like one unexpectedly.
By doing this and walking 30 minutes a day, I've lost 63 pounds since March.
I always eat snacks. Basically, I try to keep them healthy. I make sandwiches with chicken, cheese and mustard piccalilli (don't know if this is healthy) and noodles with seafood. Then I feel guilty and start scouring the interwebs for healthy diet plans, which I never find the time, energy or inclination to implement. HELP!
How to cope with dieting while losing weight
