Weight loss tips for real women - in the real world

Real women live in the real world. It is therefore not realistic, possible and/or feasible to have unrealistic weight goals due to time and cost constraints.

However, here's how to make the best of what you have with the following tips:

1. Eat a high fibre breakfast cereal or porridge at least five mornings per week

This fills you up and keeps you regular.

2. Eat regularly

It has been shown that ”grazers” (those who eat small regular meals), weigh less than those who skip meals, especially breakfast, and/or follow an erratic eating pattern.

3. Drink six to eight glasses of pure water each day to remain well hydrated

If you do not enjoy drinking good old tap water, have sparkling or soda water. However, remember that flavoured waters are not energy (kilojoule) free. 

4. Other fluid recommendations:

Do not drink carbonated beverages on a regular basis. They add to the inflation around your waistline. 

Aim for less than four cups of coffee per day and less than eight cups of tea per day. Drink your coffee or tea with low fat (2% fat) or fat-free (skim) milk and watch how much sugar you add as less is always best.

5. Do not add sugar, margarine or oil to vegetables during or after preparation or cooking

Although this adds flavour, it also adds energy (kilojoules) to your veggies. The best method for cooking vegetables is to steam them for a short time period of time in very little water and to flavour them with herbs. Should you add oil, margarine or sugar for extra flavour, again the rule is that less is best. 

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The best method for cooking vegetables is to steam them for a short time period of time in very little water and to flavour them with herbs

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6. Choose low fat protein sources and remove visible fat and chicken skin before cooking

7. Concentrate on eating slowly

8. Make an extra effort to increase your daily activity levels

No problem if you are not a gym member. You can become active by implementing non-gym related habits like the following:

• Using the stairs instead of the lift or escalator: ALWAYS!

Walking somewhere instead of driving (if the distance is realistic and the area  is safe).

• When walking, increase your pace or time yourself when walking for recreational purposes in order to cover the same distance, but at a faster pace.

• Parking a distance away from your destination (such as the local shopping mall). Don’t waste time by driving around for hours in order to deliberately snare the closest possible parking spot.

• Getting up every now and then during long bouts of sitting like meetings.

• Contracting you’re your muscles or moving any part of your body while sitting or standing for long periods e.g. during an aeroplane flight

• Gardening

• Dancing, with or without any other body!

• Washing your car/washing your partner’s car/washing the neighbour’s car.

• Playing actively with your children/grandchildren/other people’s children and pets (the latter does not refer to partners or husbands).

• Plan active family holidays or weekend outings such as hiking trips.

• Walking around your building, inside and outside during your lunch hour and tea break.

• Clock up short bouts of exercise during the day. In other words, five minutes here and ten minutes there should get you to the recommended 60-90 minutes per day.

Above all, repeat after me: “Thow shall not weigh thyself more often than once a week”.

Even better: “Thow shall abandon the scale and monitor thow weight by how comfortably your clothes fit”.

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