20 Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

As I often say, we must keep our body, mind and spirit in balance to live a fulfilled and balanced life. One of the challenges our society faces, especially in the US, is weight gain and obesity. As I stated in an earlier blog post, humans were not meant to be sedentary beings or in other words, "couch potatoes". Our bodies crave movement and along with that, proper nutrition.

In an effort to help those who are challenged with weight gain and are seeking ways to get rid of those extra pounds permanently, below is a 2007 article from the Mayo Clinic with wonderful tips for permanent weight loss.

20 Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

Exercise is one of 20 keys to permanent weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

7/10/2007

Weight maintenance is much like weight loss. The principles are essentially the same: Eat healthy foods, control your portion sizes and exercise regularly. And to keep the pounds off permanently, you need to incorporate the new, healthy behaviors into your routine so that they become a natural part of your daily life. And no, pork rinds and beer twice a week are not on the list.

Here are 20 ideas to reinforce your healthy lifestyle and to keep you committed to permanent weight loss, which seems healthier than our previous commitment to gradual weight gain.

1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session. (And if the word "exercise" immediately puts negative thoughts in your mind, substitute the phrase "move your body".)

2. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking.

3. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Top off your morning cereal with sliced strawberries or bananas. Stir berries or peaches in yogurt or cottage cheese. Liven up your sandwiches with vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, onion, peppers and cucumber.

4. Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.

5. Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.

6. Plan a family activity. Get the family together to go for a bike ride, play disc golf or kick the ball around in the yard.

7. Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food, for example — you won't be so hungry.

8. Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates instead of placing serving bowls on the table. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.

9. Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.

10. Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.

11. See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.

12. Vary your activities. Regularly change your activity routine to avoid exercise burnout. Walk a couple of days, swim another and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Seek out new activities — karate, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, tennis or Pilates.

13. De-stress your day. Stress can cause you to eat more. Develop strategies that can help you relax when you find yourself becoming stressed. Exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques and even a good laugh can ease stress.

14. Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants. If you do eat out, decide what and how much you're going to eat before you start and have the rest boxed to go.

15. Plan healthy snacks. The best snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Fruit smoothies, sliced fresh fruit and yogurt, whole-grain crackers, and carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter are all good choices.

16. Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

17. Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.

18. Plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Make a detailed grocery list to eliminate last-minute trips to the grocery store and impulse buys.

19. Look for a distraction when you're fighting a craving. Call a friend, put on music and dance or exercise, clean the house, pull weeds in your garden, or run an errand. When your mind is occupied with something else, the cravings quickly go away.

20. Reward yourself. Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.

I will certainly say that there is nothing earth shattering here. Most of what is in this article has been said for years. However, many people with weight challenges keep looking for that magic pill. First of all, what really takes here is time and effort. The weight did not magically appear on your body overnight and will not come off that way. It took time and effort to gain the weight and so it will also take time and effort to lose it. Secondly, to accomplish anything in life it also takes desire, determination & dedication. All the same things that are required to be able to live that life of fulfillment and balance.

Most of all, you have to know that you are worthy to have the life of your dreams, a life of fulfillment and balance. If that includes a life at a lower weight, then know that you are worthy of it. Do not just hope or believe it, KNOW IT, right down to the very cells of your being! Know that you are worthy of every good thing that will come to you, including a healthy body.

Once again, I thank you for reading my words. Please take the time to comment and share your thoughts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled & Balanced Life
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com