I’ve lost 93 pounds. I put on 100 pounds after losing two stillborn babies and taking antidepressants. People ask how I did it and I say not in big, invasive ways (surgery, drugs) but with little habit changes. Here are 14 easy tweaks I made to help me lose.
* Get off the scale. Weight fluctuates. Weighing yourself all the time, it’s hard to see progress. No sense getting discouraged.
* Track BMI, but don’t take it as gospel truth. Body mass index helps assess ideal weight. But the BMI algorithm isn’t perfect, says the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Choose a BMI calculator like WebMD’s that factors age, body shape, activity level, gender and clothing size. This presents a better picture than just height to weight. Even then, it’s a guide at best.
* Reward yourself for weight lost. Not with food; buy new wardrobe items. Don’t keep wearing fat clothes. You don’t have to spend a lot. If you’re still losing, those clothes will soon be too big as well.
* Take three A supplements: acai, apple cider, vitamin A. These plant-based antioxidants help burn fat.
* Get an accountability partner. Or join a free support group. No need to buy a membership; SparkPeople has been great for me.
* Set a calorie target. Decide on a goal weight and multiply that by 11. That’s how many calories you can eat per day and lose weight.
* Take three G supplements: garcinia cambogia, green coffee and green tea. I take all these and have no trouble with the caffeine. If you do, cut back. I take Mega-T green tea which has other helpful herbal supplements.
* Switch to light bread. Look for 35-calorie-per-slice whole grain. You’ll never miss the difference.
* Take two R supplements: resveratrol and raspberry ketones. The first is found in dry, red wine. I budget calories so I can have a glass or two. Or take it in a supplement. Raspberry ketones are available at Dollar Tree.
* Switch to light butter, mayonnaise, dressing: Light varieties are half the calories and I think taste better.
* Swap dairy. Eat nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream or cottage cheese. Add fresh fruit and milled flax seed to yogurt for a breakfast parfait. Instead of 2 percent milk drink skim, soy or almond milk. Add zero calorie xylitol or stevia sweetener to unsweetened vanilla almond milk for a yummy, creamy treat.
* Invert your food pyramid. Start eating mostly vegetables and fruit instead of mostly carbohydrates, meat and fat.
* Drink lemon water. Most dieters know that boosting water intake is important. Adding a lemon wedge to water has helped me detox and feel healthier. It seems to aid with fat burn, too.
* Reduce sodium. I found that while I was doing great cutting fat, sweets and starch, I was getting too much salt. I use lemon juice, Himalayan pink salt and Bragg’s Liquid Amino now.
I used to think weight loss had to involve grueling sacrifice. But none of these changes were difficult to make. I’m not saying it’s always easy, but it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.
