We all know 2 main strategies to lose weight: eat less, exercise more. Easy, right?
Not so much.
No one wants to starve. No one wants to exercise ad nauseum. If you’re a celebrity, you can afford a personal trainer, a private chef, a nutritionist. You can even hire someone to mesmerize you to lose weight – but what about us “normal” folks? Is weight loss without misery a lost cause?
Not necessarily.
Below are 10 reasonably Easy Strategies to Lose Weight and improve your eating habits.
You won’t necessarily get to size Super Model, but hopefully, you can trim your belt line enough to fit into your favorite skinny jeans.
Strategy to Lose Weight #1: Shop the walls
Everything you need to survive and thrive is on the outer edges of the grocery store – fresh produce, meat, dairy. On the other hand, where are the Oreos? Down an aisle. Potato chips? Same. Ice Cream? Yep. Now obviously, there are some healthy foods scattered in there as well, but if you are prone to temptation, it is best not to walk the aisles.
Strategy to Lose Weight #2: If you want something “bad,” make it for yourself
A good measure of a craving is what you’re willing to do to satisfy it. If you really want a cookie, force yourself to bake one. If you want French fries, slice and dice those spuds yourself. Not only will the result be unquestionably “healthier” (I doubt you’re adding preservatives), but you may find you don’t want that caramel corn as much as you thought…
Strategy to Lose Weight #3: Tweak your diet a little
Swap white bread for wheat, white rice for brown, regular potatoes for sweet. These easy substitutions are healthier than their counterparts, saving fat grams and keeping you full longer.
Strategy to Lose Weight #4: Buy the expensive hamburger
Many of us grab whatever’s cheapest, but an easy way to save on fat is to buy the leanest ground beef you can find (usually it’s 7% fat compared to the 20% fat of “regular”). The difference in taste is minimal and your heart will thank you in the long-run.
Strategy to Lose Weight #5: Spice it up!
Growing up, the only spices used in my house were salt, sugar and more salt. Imagine my surprise when I discovered rosemary! Spices are amazing. They can take a fairly bland meat like chicken and transform it into culinary magic. Your skinny jeans will thank you – and so will your palate.
Strategy to Lose Weight #6: Say “No” to mayo!
Mayonnaise is The Enemy. It is ultra-fatty and often gets lost on the plate anyway – especially when sandwiches are slathered with multiple condiments. In most cases, unless you can really taste it, mayo’s not worth the calories. (Beer is also The Enemy, but I think some would agree it’s worth it!)
Strategy to Lose Weight #7: Eat before you go out
If you’re anticipating a long day of shopping, eating prior to leaving the house is a good idea. After all, unless you’re planning to have a sit-down meal, there are very few nutritious options in fast food joints.
Strategy to Lose Weight #8: Low-fat mozzarella sticks are your friends
These tasty treats are only 60 calories, portable and fun to pull apart, which makes them one of the tastiest strategies to lose weight. Make sure they’re the low fat ones, however. You wouldn’t want to cram ‘em in thinking they’re healthier than they are (see: Caesar salad).
Strategy to Lose Weight #9: Yogurt and pudding can be a dessert
OK, neither is a red velvet cupcake, but they’re something sweet that can satisfy the post-meal dessert urge. Both come in a variety of flavors and are largely fat-free.
Strategy to Lose Weight #1o: Eat your food in order of healthiness
This is probably the easiest tip of the bunch because it isn’t about denying yourself anything – just eating what you already have in a different order which makes you lose weight fast. The goal here is to fill up on the healthier, lower fat foods before charging on to the good stuff. Now, obviously, this doesn’t really work if you’re a member of the Clean Plate Club OR if your entire plate is covered in French Fries.
Katie Fetting-Schlerf, like most Americans, would prefer to eat macaroni and cheese for every meal. Unfortunately, as soon as her jeans start to complain, she realizes this dream will never come true…
For more amazing strategies to lose weight, check out 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet – a trio of sisters committed to dropping Lbs in a healthy way.
