Day two of the hit list
Ways to help you boost your weight loss effort
11. Keep A Food Journal
As you change your eating habits, write down what you are eating, how much you are eating, your energy level after you ate that food, and any other changes you may notice about your body. This will allow you to learn what foods work best with your body and exercise level. You will also discover which times of day keeping your diet is the most difficult for you, as well as which meal times work best for your body. You can even use this journal to write down any new recipes you may find that you want to reference later.
12. Check In With Yourself
This goes right along with the food journal, but make sure you are checking in which both your mental and physical well-being as you change your habits.
If you find yourself not feeling well in either of these areas, it might be time to make further changes, or slow down the pace of your changes. If you still struggle after an extended period of time, seek professional help as you may have a nutritional deficiency.
13. Sleep More
In a study carried out by Wake Forest researchers, those who didn’t get enough sleep every night (five hours or less) tended to put on more belly fat than those who slept an average of six or seven hours each night. The researchers also found that having a regular bedtime and regular wake up time was extremely beneficial for dieters as it helped them lose more belly fat.
Take the time to create a sleep schedule for yourself, which should include the plan to get seven hours of sleep per night. You may be surprised by the improvements you see just from getting sufficient sleep!
14. Cardio
Whether you love it or hate it, it’s time to set aside some time for cardio. No matter what your age, cardio is a crucial part of weight loss, so find an exercise which works for you. Running, jogging, or biking are best, but swimming laps and fast paced walks can also be great forms of cardio for those who are more advanced in age. Whatever you decide to do, do it at least five days a week for thirty minutes each time.
15. Be Active In General
Besides just engaging in cardio five days a week, it’s time to work on making your life more active in general. If you work sitting at a desk all day, inquire about the possibility of getting a standing desk, or make sure you take frequent breaks to get up and walk around.
If you spend your weekends sitting on the couch, make plans that involve activity instead. You’ll be surprised at how many steps you can add just by adjusting your daily routine to include less down time.
16. Look At The Menu Before Going Out
One of the hardest things about dieting, is sticking to your healthy food choices when you go out to eat. If your friends or business associates agree, see if they will let you pick the restaurant and suggest somewhere where you know there are meals within your diet. Even if they don’t let you pick, scope the menu before you show up, and do your research on a meal that works for you.
Most restaurants post calorie counts in the online versions of their menu. Jot down any questions you may have for the waiter, so you know what to ask when you show up. That way you won’t feel as if you are slowing everyone down when it comes time to order at the restaurant, and you won’t stress about what you can and can’t eat.
17. Order First When Going Out
So, you’ve planned your meal order before you’ve arrived for lunch at the restaurant. But did you know that in a study carried out by Dan Ariely, that by not ordering your food first, you are more likely to be influenced by your friends and change your order? You can prevent this by ordering first (but don’t be rude about it), or if that’s not a possibility, consider writing down your exact order and reading it exactly as you wrote it, no matter what your friends or coworkers may order.
18. Monitor Your Stress Levels
Being overly stressed can lead to weight gain, as well as cause difficulties as you try to lose weight. Take steps to ensure your level of stress is in your control. If you find yourself struggling with this, try engaging in an activity like yoga, deep breathing, or meditation. You may even find that taking a weekend away from work does wonders. If you still find yourself stressed, step back and take a look at what is causing you stress, then take steps to remove it from your life.
19. Spend Time Outdoors
Now that you no longer binge watch TV, you’re probably looking for new ways to pass the time. Numerous studies have shown that people who spend more time outdoors tend to have a lower BMI. So even if it’s winter where you live, try to make it an effort to spend some time outdoors each day, even if it’s just a brisk walk around the block.
On weekends, try to plan events with friends that are centered around the outdoors, such as a group hike, or a soccer game in the park. And if you have a furry friend, this is a great excuse to get them outside more as well!
20. Evaluate What You Wear
Surprisingly, the American Business Council found in a study, that those who dressed in more business casual type clothing on a daily basis tended to remain more active than those who dressed more formally. If your job is one where what you wear is flexible, try switching from a suit, to jeans and a polo. In the study, on the days the test subjects wore jeans, the participants took 491 more steps than on the days they wore suit pants.