Muscle Media
When it comes to dieting, you’ll find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market. There seems to be every kind of dietary aid you can imagine. The diet industry has evolved to include everything from candy bars, shakes, and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly (“almost immediately”) and easily (“little or no effort”). However, very little is easy for most of us when trying to drop a few pounds.
If you would like to drop a few extra pounds, perhaps the following tips will help:
Drink Plenty of Water
The importance of drinking water in an effort to reach your fitness goals cannot be overstated. While water hydrates the body, water is also an important way of “tricking” your body into believing you are full. Other drinks don’t work nearly as well as water. Many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you don’t need when you’re dieting.
Another benefit to drinking a lot of water while dieting is related to your appearance. Water helps your skin retain its’ elasticity. You can help avoid some of the ‘loose skin’ look that often accompanies significant weight loss. As an added bonus drinking plenty of water will also have your skin looking radiant and beautiful.
Set Goals
Having goals is an important first step you can take when trying to lose weight. Make sure that your goals are aggressive but can still be achieved. If you’re frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic goals, you’re much more likely to give up. However, challenges offer the opportunity to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. Find a ‘weight loss partner’ and have a little friendly competition for weight-loss totals for a week or a month. You’re going to be far more likely to accomplish your goals than if you keep your goals quietly to yourself.
Eat More
Wait! Did you read that correctly? Yes, but eat more healthy foods that are high in fiber. Eat more vegetables and fruits. Fill up on foods that are good for you and you’ll be less inclined to binge on calorie-laden junk food.
Move!
This may seem a little too simply stated. But getting up and moving is undeniably one of the best ways to burn calories. The simple truth is that you’re not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume. The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.
Some great activities that actually burn calories include gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these activities because you can get yourself to believing that you aren’t really exercising or burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and energy. If you dance around a little to some music while cleaning, you just might burn a few extra calories.
Dieting, when successful, can help restore self-image and self-esteem. The steps above are not the only things involved in the dieting process, but they can help you get started. You can reach your weight loss goals. It is most effective when combined with a diet plan that you can follow. Be sure that on those days when your will power is almost non-existent. Don’t derail all of your dieting efforts by giving up. The most important thing you can do is to get back to your program if you should happen to stray.