Tips to Weight Loss

A great way to help slow down your eating habits is to set a timer for 20 minutes while eating. This allows your body time to send signals regarding feelings of being full to your brain as you eat. This, coupled with a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, is a great way to slim down and lose those extra pounds.In a recent study from the University of Michigan, based on a 2,500 calorie per day diet, an extra hour of sleep per night can help lost 14 pounds in a year.

Whole Grain Goodness

Whole grains are a great way to help lose weight and keep it off. Oats, whole wheat, brown rice, and barley can help you feel more full for longer periods of time. Not only that, but they are a great way to help lower cholesterol. Common sources of whole wheat include breads, pasta, and English muffins.By merely substituting just one sugary drink such as soda with water or a 0-calorie seltzer can help you avoid 10 teaspoons of sugar. For a fun addition, you can add some flavor such as mint, lemon/lime, or cucumbers.Some studies suggest that green tea can aid in weight loss by increasing the body’s metabolism of fats. If anything at all, at least it can be a great substitute instead of soda of other sugar-filled drinks.By chewing flavored sugarless gum during snack cravings, it can help curtail the urge to indulge. The best part is that it can be enjoyed most anywhere that can be a high risk scenario for breaking your diet, such as while watching a movie, social events, or just surfing the internet. The potent flavor in some gums can make snacking on foods afterwards not taste as rewarding.

Eat Out Your Way

Dining out is a commonplace activity that millions of Americans enjoy every day. Although restaurant meals can be quite tasty, some are notoriously fattening, so try some of these ideas to help keep the calorie count to a minimum:

• Share an entree/meal between two people.
• Order from the children’s menu or an appetizer as a meal.
• While ordering, ask to put half the portion of the meal in a to-go box before it is brought to the table.

Have a small salad before ordering. Ordering while very hungry can be dangerous and there can be a greater chance of ordering fatty meals. Ordering after the salad may help you order more sensibly.

Burn 100 Calories More

By trying one of the following activities, you can burn an extra 100 calories per day, which translates to a 10 pound loss over a year:

• Gardening for 20 minutes
• Housework/cleaning for 30 minutes
• Walking for 20 minutes
• Jogging for 10 minutes