Its got to be easier than this, right?
Now maybe you want to lose a few extra pounds before it arrives for your first fitting…
Maybe you want to get fit before you hit the beach on your honeymoon…
Many brides-to-be feel that their wedding is finally the motivation they need to lose those unwanted pounds.
If you want to avoid resorting to “fad” diets or diet supplements, it is within healthy limits to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. But it takes dedication!
First, any bride-to-be who wants to lose weight should remember that you will not see results on the scale in two days, no matter how hard you worked.
You won’t lose two inches in two days. You should keep in mind that results will never come as fast as you want them to, but they will if you stick to it.
Keep Track of What You Eat
This tip is perhaps the most obvious. If you are eating a lot and taking in plenty of calories and fat, you will not lose weight. Therefore you should watch what you eat. One of the best ways to keep track of what you eat is by keeping a journal of what you eat. Often, people don’t realize how much they are really eating until they write everything down. When keeping a journal, you may also be able to pinpoint trouble spots in your daily eating routine.
For instance, you might realize that you eat a candy bar or some other candy snack at the same time every day. You realize that it is when you are tired and taking a break from work. By thinking ahead, cutting out that candy bar and replacing it with something else healthy, you could cut 250 or more calories from your daily intake. Don’t be afraid to eat three meals and two low calorie snacks a day. The snacks can keep you from starving and then eating a huge portion during meal time.
Watch Your Portion Sizes
With all the excess at restaurants, it’s hard to view large portions as anything but ordinary. However, most restaurants serve up huge portions, which usually equals a huge amount of calories. Portion sizes should often equal the size of the palm of your hand. For instance, one healthy-considered portion of meat or chicken would be the size of the palm of your hand, or maybe a deck of cards. The same goes with anything you may have on the side like pasta or rice.
When served a big portion of food at a restaurant, a good tip is to get a to-go box even before you are halfway through your meal. Put part of your meal in the box before you are even done eating, and leave behind what you judge would be a healthy portion size. Of course adding extra fruits and vegetables benefits your diet. Besides the vitamins and minerals they contain, they are very low in calories, so they fill you up with little calorie intake.
Exercise 5 to 6 Days a Week
Exercising burns calories. Therefore if you workout 5 to 6 days a week for 30 minutes or more each time, it will help you lose weight. If you are not used to physical activity, try starting out by just walking 3 days a week and then build it up. Strength training also revs up your metabolism. Just don’t forget muscle weighs more than fat so it may affect what you see on the scale if you are strength training!
Drink More Water
It’s important to keep you body hydrated. Drinking water is a good weight loss tool because when you drink plenty of it, it can help you feel full. Also, when your body is slightly dehydrated and thirsting for water, sometimes if feels as though you are hungry. So you may think you may need to eat something, but drinking water and hydrating your body could get rid of that fake type of hunger.
However you choose to lose those extra pounds — set reasonable goals, be patient, stick to it, and you will be well on your way to reaching your goal!
Jenni Jai loves writing about saving money and losing weight. Don’t get it twisted. When she’s not writing about fitness, she’s probably writing about mortgage loans like the Home Ownership Accelerator by CMG Mortgage.
Photo Credits
Laurel Fan via flickr
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