1. Avoid one of the biggest weight gain traps in your neighborhood! At least for now, stay clear of take out or restaurants for lunch and dinner on a weekly basis. Don’t stop eating out completely, however, the average American eats out 4-5 times per week. A group of nutritionists were given meals at various restaurants around the country. During the study it was discovered that even the nutritionists grossly underestimated the amount of calories in the meals. Between large portion sizes, and a lack of control of what goes in the food, the calories pack on fast. Simply brown bag it and cook at home six days a week for the next two months and you’ll watch your waistline get smaller and your wallet get fatter!

2. Watch those temptations! Cut those daily trips to the coffee shop. Coffee shops are full of all kinds of calorie packed goodies. If you really need that pick me up, I understand. Either make it at home or stick to a good old-fashioned cup of coffee or espresso with a small amount of real creamer (not the flavored or processed stuff) or sugar (1 packet). Keep a healthy snack with you to enjoy with the coffee when on the go. Some ideas to have on hand in your office or car: fruit, healthy crackers, nuts (watch portion size), yogurt, etc.

3. Hydrate! Research shows that when the body is dehydrated your liver has to work extra hard and slows down how you metabolize fat. One way to check is to make sure your urine is pale yellow to clear. General guidelines are to drink eight to twelve 8 oz glasses of water per day. Some of us need a bit more or less due to lifestyle and activity differences, so the color of your urine is key. You do not want it to look like light beer!

4. Get enough sleep. There is a direct correlation between proper sleep (approximately 8 hours) and people that lose or maintain their weight.

5. Add five minutes! If you are currently exercising, add an extra 5 minutes: 5 minutes x 6 days equals 30 minutes. That’s an entire workout for most people! What’s an extra five minutes?

There you go. These are five easy tips to start losing weight without dieting. The key is consistency. Most people drop off after two weeks, which is why they never really see much success. Consistent habits of some kind caused weight gain. It’s going to take consistent new habits to lose it and keep it off. If you have read along this far, you are most likely someone that can stick to it!

I’d love to hear from you. Tell me below if you have a trick that works for you, or ask me about a stumbling block that may be
holding you back.

To your health!

Jennifer