weight-loss
Losing weight is usually not fun, but it does not have to be terrible.  Everyone is aware that to lose pounds you need to increase your exercise and decrease your food intake.

For a couch potato exercise is a nasty word.  If you start with a slow and fairly easy exercise regime you can build up your stamina until you actually enjoy (or at least don’t hate) engaging in exercise.  Eventually try to get in about 30 minutes of exercise at least five days per week.  Do whatever you enjoy such as walking, running, jogging, swimming, bowling,
dancing, playing ball, working out at the gym, etc.  Doing vigorous housework can also count as exercise as well as mowing and/or raking the lawn, shoveling snow, washing the car and gardening.

You will need to change your eating habits to embrace a diet of healthy foods.  Include more fruits, vegetables, protein, good fats, dairy and whole grains in your eating plan.  Try to eliminate processed foods, sugary foods and junk foods.  Your body really does not need these  items  Your body does needs a healthy diet that provides the necessary nutrients.

You need to focus on your reason for wanting to slim down,  Is it to look and feel better?  Is it to improve your health?  Keeping your mind focused on your reason for losing weight will help to keep you motivated.

Starvation diets are not a good idea at all.  When you skip meals and starve yourself your body goes into starvation mode.  Your metabolism slows down in an effort to protect you and your body stops burning fat.

Many nutrition experts agree the easiest and possibly best way to lose weight is to break your daily food allotment into 5 or 6 meals,  This can be 3 meals and a couple of snacks approximately 3 hours apart.  If you are only eating 3 larger meals daily the time between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner can be too long. You can feel hungry and reach for the nearest food to snack on whether it is healthy or not.  If you eat something every few hours it will help keep your blood sugar level.

Try eating a healthy cereal for breakfast several mornings each week.  This will fill you up and stay with you while providing vitamins and minerals and fiber.  Aim for a cereal containing at least 3 grams of fiber and little sugar.

Learn to ditch your sugary soda and instead try water.  If you don’t like plain water add a twist of lemon or lime..

Include water rich foods in your meal plans such as salad with tomato and cucumber and broth ( not cream) based soups.

With a little effort and planning you will be pleasantly surprised how easily you can lose your weight a few pounds at a time till you have reached your goal.  You did not gain  your weight overnight so don’t expect to lose it overnight either.  Imagine your satisfaction when you have finally reached your desired weight.