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Change – How Much and How Fast?
There are two things I think of when I hear the word, “change”. Do what you’ve always done and get what you’ve always got. Change isn’t change until something changes.
What You’ve Always Done. More than likely this is what has made you overweight and needing to lose a few or many pounds. Do you live a sedentary lifestyle? Do you have a gym membership but see it fewer times a year than you celebrate national holidays? Do you drink your calories (sodas, alcohol, juice, etc.)? Do you get enough sleep? Are you always stressed out? If you’re going to lose weight, you’re going to change what you’ve always done. Not everything. And maybe not even that much, but change you must.
Change is Change. Sometimes the biggest change comes from the simplest things. Sometimes the biggest change comes from changing something gigantic in your life. I don’t know what that is in your life, but I do know you HAVE TO change something.
How Much Change and How Fast?
This question really depends on you and your personality. I know people who’ve quit smoking after decades when they decided one day they’d never put another cigarette in their mouth. I know other people that had to chew Nicorette gum for years after quitting smoking. Which one are you?
I think the best way to start is to make small changes and build on your success. What a great motivator to change one thing and see a difference on the scale as a result! So why not just change ONE THING to start with? And the great thing is, there typically isn’t much pain associated with just changing one thing in your life when it comes to dietary or exercise habits. Here are a few suggestions:
- Walk for 20 minutes a day, six days a week.
- Drink more water. (64 oz. minimum per day)
- Eat on a smaller plate. (Don’t go back for seconds!)
- If you have two lattes a day, just drink one. If you have one a day, go to every other day.
- Don’t eat three hours before bed time.
- Instead of eating three larger meals, eat the same amount of food but break it into six meals per day.
- Cut your calories by 500 a day.
- Don’t drink your calories.
- Replace some of your carbs from grains and cereals with fruits and veggies.
- Eat slower – chew and enjoy your food. Your stomach will have time to tell your brain your full. Let it digest 10 minutes before going back for a second helping.
- Avoid snacking when you’re not hungry.
- Replace potato chips with healthy snacks like veggies with low fat dip.
Do the simple things at first. Try to stay away from things like fad diets, exercise equipment that claims to work out your whole body with one movement, weight loss supplements that may make you anxious, etc. I’m not saying that these things won’t ever work, but why waste time or money on anything that isn’t drop dead simple and even just common sense?
By: David Simpson
