Tips on How to Lose Weight

 
A few years ago, I started to notice that gaining weight seemed easier and losing it was always a great struggle. Even though I had been careful on what I ate and was exercising regularly, my weight kept on climbing. I noted that my diet and exercise routine were not as effective as it used to. I panicked. I thought I had to do something before it’s too late.

Then I learned that as we age, our metabolism slows down due to hormonal imbalances or hidden medical conditions and perhaps from yo-yo and crash dieting. There are also other factors to consider like genetics, muscle loss associated with aging and a sedentary lifestyle. I realized that I had to change my diet plan and decrease my caloric intake to be able to lose weight. Nowadays I eat more fruits and vegetables, cut back on carbs and greasy foods. I also move around more often and add 15 to 30 minutes more to my daily walk. I’m in control of my weight again.

It’s time for us to take care of our body and time to take care of our health. According to a medical study, even 20 percent of excess weight puts our health in higher risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, diabetes and other diseases.



I listed below some tips and tricks that help me shed few pounds here and there. Every little bit helps.

• Exercise is crucial in losing excess weight and in keeping it off. We gain weight when we ingest more calories than we burn and the only way to burn up calories and fat is exercise. A good exercise is when it increases your respiration and heart rate such as running, walking, bicycling, etc. for 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. Choose an exercise that you enjoy the most, like walking, dancing, swimming, etc. You are less likely to give up exercising when you are having fun. Be creative, for example if you are not an early riser take a walk in the evening instead. If working out seems overwhelming at the beginning, exercise 15 to 30 minutes in the morning and 15 to 30 minutes of exercise in the afternoon, do whichever works for you.
  
• Eat slowly, learn to savor and enjoy each bite of your food. Put your fork or spoon down between every bite. Sip water frequently. By eating slowly, it will give your body time to signal your brain that you are full, and to stop eating. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full.
  
• Drink a glass or two glasses of water 10 minutes before meals. The water fills up your stomach and reduces the feeling of hunger, therefore makes you eat less. Water will hydrate the body, making the metabolism speed up, which will aid the body in burning calories and fat. Make water your prime drink.  Stay away from sodas and other sweetened drinks. Eliminating the non-nutritive, sugar-filled, possibly harmful beverages from your diet is a great first step in the right direction of losing weight and improving your health.
  
• Limit your intake of white rice, and white flour, or better yet switch to whole grain breads and brown rice instead.
  
• Put tempting treats in hard to reach spots (like the highest cupboard), or better yet don’t bring junk food into your home, so there will be no temptation to eat unhealthy foods.
  
• Take a nap or a shower when feeling a strong desire for food. Make an activity to divert yourself from reaching for food in the fridge. Make sure you have 8 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep would dampen your mood and could lead to overeating.
  
• Try to eat 5-6 smaller meals per day, such as breakfast, a lunch, an afternoon snack, a dinner, and an evening snack. Eating smaller meals keeps your metabolic rate high throughout the day because your body is constantly using up energy to digest the food you are eating. Eating smaller meals will also leave you feeling lighter and more energized throughout the day.
  
• Eating several small meals per day may not work for everyone. For me I eat a good breakfast but in a smaller portion, lunch is my biggest meal of the day and dinner is the lightest. Exercise burn up calories, which means that your body will burn up food better while your active, so eat your main meal at middle of the day and eat something light (like salad with fat-free dressing or a small bowl of vegetable soup) for dinner.
  
• Avoid skipping meals or starving yourself because this will put your body into survival mode. Your metabolism will slow down to conserve energy. When your metabolism slows down your body burns a lot less calories.
  
• Don’t deny yourself from the fun of eating out once in a while, but remember to pare your portions. Save half or one-third of the food for take out and make it your lunch the next day.
  
• If you lose control and overeat one day don’t get discouraged, just compensate for it by exercising more the next day to burn the extra calories you consumed. 
• Don’t deprive yourself of some enjoyable treats once in a while, like a cone of ice cream or a small slice of a chocolate cake, but add an extra 30 minutes to your daily walking routine to pay off for the extra calories and eat less on your next meal.
  
• If you can’t avoid a meal that is high in fat especially during an event or a celebration, prevent the harmful effects of a fatty feast by following it up with a bowl of oatmeal. The whole grains help transport cholesterol out of the body. Researchers say the soluble fiber and anti-oxidants in the oats are responsible for their usefulness as a fat taxi.
  
• Brush your teeth right away after every meal. The minty freshness and clean feeling of your mouth will serve as cue to your brain that mealtime is over.
• Have an inspiration, take use of the upcoming Christmas party or a high school reunion to motivate yourself to lose weight. Think about buying an expensive blouse or dress one size smaller than your actual size. Hang it beside your mirror or a place where you can see it every day to serve as an inspiration to lose weight so you can wear it when the event comes. Imagine how trim your body looks and how well the clothing fits you.
• The bottom line is do not wait till the excess weight files up on you. As soon as you notice that you are gaining a few pounds, do something to get rid of it right away, if you don't your putting your health at risk. Remember to eat less and exercise more!

photo credit: Free Stock Photos

Saying “No” Without Guilt

Why is it that many of us find it hard to say the word “no.” We often encounter requests from others to do something for them and it is an enormous disadvantage for us not to be able to refuse.


People, who can’t say no, are putting their own health and sanity on the line. Stretching ourselves so thin trying to please everyone can oftentimes result in our own failure or worse that we break under pressure.

 But why can’t we just say “no”? According to a study, one of the main reasons why a person cannot refuse is the compassion trap- taking care of the needs of others before your own needs. Some people feel that it is easier to say “yes” rather than deal with the guilty feelings after refusing someone.  Others may say yes to avoid any conflict later on. Though some say they can’t say no simply because of the fear of hurting the feelings of the person asking a favor. 

I remember a friend who can’t say no to his friends and relatives. When any problem arises may it big or  small, he is the person to run to. He is Mr. nice guy, who would never turn you down. He is willing to lend a hand anytime; it could be money or his precious family time. After so many years he finally realized that some people were taking advantage of his kindness and generosity. So now, he learned to evaluate the situation carefully first before saying yes or no to the request.

Thus, we forget that we also have the right to refusal.  Nowadays, a person who knows how to say “no” is perceived as a person who has the strength of character and self-confidence.  The ability to say no assertively does not only earn a great deal of respect and can overcome feelings of powerlessness but also prevents negative consequence, such as feeling of guilt.

Steps to follow to avoid the feeling of guilt when you say “no”

Is it a reasonable request?

Immediately, when someone asks you a favor the first thing comes to mind is to think it through if it is reasonable or not. Does the person really need my help and why?  Am I the last resort?  Thus, look inside yourself to find the answer. If you find yourself hesitating or avoiding, this is maybe a clue that you want to refuse. If you feel cornered and notice tension or uneasy reaction in your body, this may also mean that someone is requesting something unreasonable of you.  When you do not have enough information to evaluate the request of its rationality it can make you feel uptight and confused.  

Make sure you have all the facts

You need to stress your right to ask for more information and details. Do not commit yourself to a yes or no until you have a good grasp of what is being asked of you.

Rehearse saying “no”  

Once you recognize the request and decide you do not want to do it, say no firmly and calmly. A simple “no “is enough. No ifs and buts and no frills. Though you can add a simple, straight-forward explanation of what you are feeling.  A straight to the point and simple explanation makes you sound confident, while many indirect and weak excuses portrays you as being timid and nervous and can be used against you by leaving a room for argument. Practice saying a firm “no” daily, so that it comes more naturally to you.

You don’t need to say “I’m sorry, but…”

Don’t apologize. Saying I’m sorry” frequently  just makes it sound weaker to the other person, he may be tempted to play on you the "guilty feelings" game. After you stood firm on your decision that the best thing is to say no then, there’s nothing to be sorry about.

Break the vicious cycle

Many of us are born people pleasers. The problem with this good trait is it becomes a vicious cycle. When you do some good deeds to others, you make people happy and you feel good inside. Thus the cycle keeps going, some people continue to expect things from you and you feel that it’s your duty not to disappoint them. Eventually, you become worn out, used up and taken for granted.

The best way to break this cycle is to always remember that you can never take care of anyone truthfully until you take care of yourself first. When your valuable resource is your energy, time, and emotions, knowing how to look after it is enormously important. Hence your happiness is at stake when this resource becomes depleted rapidly. Learning how to say no and allowing yourself time to analyze requests asked of you are both sensible ways to protect your well-being and you don't need to feel guilty about it.