Weight Loss Tips and Tricks

Food for Thought: The starting point of all achievement is desire.  Strengthen Your Desire! Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.

Photo source: Pinterest 

I gain weight so easily because of my slow metabolism, that's why maintaining my weight has always been a challenge to me.  I need to exercise regularly and watch my diet just to maintain my current weight.  Gaining weight is so easy, but losing weight is so hard.  Isn't this unfair?


Last year, I became lax with my exercise and diet, causing me to gain 5 kgs (as shown by my picture below).

August 2011

I worked hard to get my weight back on track and all my hard work has paid off :).  I achieved my weight loss goal after 3 months and I have managed to maintain my weight within my target range since then. 

Me after losing 5kgs.

I'm going to share some weight loss tips and tricks that worked for me.  I am not a fitness expert but I am writing from my experience.  


10 Weight Loss Tips and Tricks That Really Work:
1. Participate in a weight loss challenge. 
This is what I did. I joined the Vibrant Living Walk, Run, and Donate Program that was offered by P&G. This gave me the extra  motivation to work really hard to achieve my weight loss goal. It also helped me to stay on track. 


2. Start a cardio and weights work out.  
The best way to lose weight is a good exercise routine and weight training.  You don't necessarily have to go to the gym to start an exercise program. I love to exercise but I'm not fond of going to the gym.  I prefer to run or walk outside.  I run 5km (usually in the morning) within my fat burning zone (60-80% of my target heart rate).  If the weather is bad and I can't run outside, I do dance exercise at home (I have several dance exercise DVDs).  I also do weight lifting 2-3 times a week (I have my own set of dumbbells at home).

3. Watch what you eat.
I am using the "My Plate" application on my iPad to keep track of my my food intake and my exercise. If you want to lose weight, you need to use up more energy than what you eat.  It's that simple. However, you need to determine first your metabolic rate for you to know your caloric balance status. You can estimate your metabolic rate by using the BMR calculator (you can search this in google). 

  

4. Eat healthy.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and less of fatty foods. Avoid processed foods as they contain a  lot of transfat (bad fat).  I have learned from the Corporate Athlete training that we don't necessarily have to eat healthy food 100% of the time.  We don't have to deprive ourselves of the food that we really like to eat.  80% healthy food  is good enough.

Healthy Eating Pyramid

Source: P&G Vibrant Living

5. Eat 3 meals and some snacks in between meals.
Eat full breakfast and lunch and light supper.  Low glycemic index (~100cal) snacks are recommended in between. 

6. Use smaller plate. 
I tend to eat less if I use smaller plate :).

7. Drink a lot of water.
I drink a lot of water (minimum of 3 liters per day). If you want to eat less, drinking a lot of water before meal will do the trick.

8. Go for natural fruits instead of fruit juices. 
Fruit juices contain a lot of sugar and calories.

9. Avoid sweetened drinks.   
Sweetened drinks contain a lot of sugar and calories too.  Drink water instead.  Honestly, I still crave for coke sometimes, especially this summer season.   Ang sarap kayang uminom ng coke na maraming yelo :).

10. Drink green tea. I drink green tea everyday.  I've read that green tea increases the metabolism, therefore it can also aid weight loss.

Remember this: The key to losing weight permanently is lifestyle change.