Unlimited Snacks!

Non starchy vegetables like celery, peppers, broccoli and carrots are great snacks. They’re easy to keep on hand, satisfying to crunch and have great flavors to savor. They may keep you out of trouble over the weekend. Remember, if you’re starting Atkins this doesn’t apply to you. You’re limited to a cup a day of dark green veggies. But you can have some hard cheese, beef sticks or pork rinds!

TODAY: DO YOUR STRETCHING EXERCISES THEN TAKE A BRISK WALK THAT IS ONE THIRD LONGER THAN YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING.

BONUS: IF YOU HAVE A DOG, GO OUT AND PLAY FETCH FOR A HALF HOUR. IT’S GREAT FOR YOU BOTH!

Step It Up, Then Slow It Down and Repeat

If you can do a good thirty minute walk you can get more exercise value out of it by adding some different speed to your routine. Walk in intervals of slow and fast and push yourself a bit. Speed walking has as much aerobic value as jogging, and is a lot easier on your joints. Here’s how.

  • Walk at your usual pace for three minutes.
  • Increase the speed for one minute.
  • Go back to your normal speed for three minutes.
  • Repeat this till you hit your 30 minutes.

As you get more fit increase the fast time and decrease the slow. Of course ask your doctor about pushing yourself to a faster pace. I think you’ll find that your doctor is pleased with your efforts. They don’t hear that a lot.

TODAY: TRY AT LEAST ONE FASTER INTERVAL OF WALKING.

You Have A Stepper

You may think that exercise equipment is too expensive or takes up too much space. Well maybe you already have some and don’t know it. You likely have a stepper. It’s right there, going between the floors of your house. Honest. It will work just like the machine. Maybe even better because it will actually take you somewhere! Try bringing in packages one at a time. Taking laundry downstairs piece by piece rather than filling up a basket full before heading down. Remember, when you weight less you’ll be carrying less too.

TODAY: GO UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS A FEW TIMES.

A Doggie Bag Will Help You With Your Pants

I don’t mean the kind where your tongue hangs out. I mean when your belly hangs out!

The weekend is here and you are going to get those temptations again. Go ahead. Eat out. Enjoy your meals. Just don’t eat it all at one sitting. The reality is that food portions in the US have increased over the past 20 years. It’s helped to contribute to the obesity epidemic. Or it’s an excuse for it. But either way, restaurant portions are often much more than you should eat at one sitting. So here’s a trick. Order what you want. But have them splt it in the kitchen before it’s sent out to you. Have them go ahead and put half in a to-go box. You’ll have a filling meal and then have another one with your favorites later in the week. Just take it home and pop it in the freezer. That way you won’t waste anything and you won’t WAIST anything either.

TODAY: HAVE HALF OF ANY RESTAURANT MEAL PREPARED TO GO.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Have you ever read the instructions on the shampoo bottle? Or do you already follow the “wash, rinse, repeat” mantra? Well do you know how that came about? The truth is that you only need to wash once. The concept of doing it twice came from the P&G marketing department decades ago. Why? Well it’s simple. Because you use twice as much, it doubles their shampoo sales!

What does that have to do with dieting? Eating seconds does the same thing to your calorie intake. You really DON’T need seconds after you finish a plate. The logic continues that if you eat twice, you get twice the calories. YOU DON’T NEED THOSE CALORIES!

So if the urge to go back for more hits you, step away. Go take a shower and wash your hair… ONCE.

TODAY: STOP HAVING “SECONDS”.

The Pantry Diet

If you really want to keep yourself on track to lose weight, you need to reduce the temptations. Start by putting your pantry on a diet. Do a quick inventory of the high calorie temptations that are there waiting for you to indulge.

TODAY: ELIMINATE THE HIGH CALORIE SNACKS IN THE PANTRY.

It All Counts

If you don’t get time to do a full workout, don’t give up. You only need 30 minutes a day, and it doesn’t have to all be at once. It only takes a mere 10 minutes at a time. Start with 10 when you wake up. 10 at lunch. And the last 10 in the evening,  while watching TV is fine, or take a walk after dinner with your spouse or ride your bike with the kids. You may even have a basketball hoop at your house that has been ignored for a while. Take a few shots and dribble away some calories.

You get the idea. Now get motivated for a few minutes.

TODAY: GET 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE.