OK, we’ve established that losing weight isn’t easy for many reasons. What can we do to make it a bit easier — to give ourselves a head start? Making one change in your life won’t get you to lose weight (unless you are very lucky), but one right thing may just get you moving in the right direction. So what’s one thing that you can do that may make a difference in your life.
Here’s a list of things I have read or thought of myself. Please let us know your ideas.
- Get up early and go for a walk in the morning.
- Turn off the TV and put on an exercise video/go for a walk.
- Take the stairs instead of the lift.
- Don’t eat after 7pm.
- Cut out chocolate (or chips, ice cream – whatever your ‘addiction’ is)
- Walk/cycle to work – or park on the other side of town and walk across.
- Buy smaller plates.
- Take up a sport that you’ve been wanting to try for awhile.
- Keep a bit bottle of water next to you at all times and drink, drink, drink.
- Develop a taste for dark chocolate.
- Go out dancing one night a week.
- Change your regular route to avoid passing McDonalds (or whatever is your weakness)
- Go to bed earlier, before you get a chance to snack (or at least brush your teeth straight after dinner)
- Make a new friend that will support your new lifestyle (or at least avoid the people that make you feel bad about yourself)
- Meditate/prayer/sit and think quietly at least once a day to reflect on how you are doing and where you are going.
- Stop eating food that’s left on your children’s plates.
- Keep a food diary and note: 1) when your bad eating times are and do something else interesting then and 2) what foods (or food combinations) make you feel heavy and bloated that perhaps you should avoid or eat only limited amounts of (for me it’s carbs) or 3) what foods really make your body feel good (in a healthy way) and eat more of that.
- Take part in the kids sports and games whenever possible. (I get a good workout helping with the Under10s soccer training)
- Get a hypnosis tape. I find it helpful when I listen to the CD that came with Paul McKenna’s I Can Make You Thin.
I’m sure I’ve heard a lot more and will add more as I think of them. In the meantime I look forward to hearing your suggestions!
I like this blog. The first one in a long time that actually tells it like it is. Losing weight is hard and it takes serious commitment. SERIOUS
The ideas are all good! But it is very difficult to cut down the food when you love your food. I’ve found it useful to drink Green Tea/Oolong Tea to reduce my appetite.