How to Lose Weight Over the Long Term

danger foodsWhen you first start a diet, it's easy to get all excited about the amount of weight you're losing and how great you look. Unfortunately, most of us reach our goals and then go off of our diets. Within a few months, we may be back where we started, or in many cases, worse off. If you want to lose weight over the long term, you're going to have to make some total lifestyle changes that will ensure that you not only lose weight, but manage to keep it off for years to come. Here are some helpful tips to help you lose that weight and keep it off.

1. Identify your danger foods.

These are the foods that will consistently cause you to go off your diet. The foods that you simply cannot eat one of. In essence, these foods hold a sort of control over you and their siren call is simply too much to resist once you take that first bite. You're going to need to figure out what your danger foods are and then you're going to have to completely remove them from your life. This isn't easy and there may be times when you slip. However, if you can successfully stop eating these target foods, you're going to see a huge difference in your weight loss. You may never be able to eat them again, but then again, what is really more important? A few minutes of food bliss or a lifetime of looking great?

2. Start making healthy substitutions.

You don't have to eat like a rabbit for the rest of your life to lose weight, but you do need to start making healthy substitutions to keep your weight off over the long term. This may take some time since your palate is probably used to the food's you like. However, food substitution doesn't have to be painful. For example, if you can't live without pizza, try it without cheese or use a cheese substitute. It will take a little getting used to, but over time, you'll develop a taste for that food and you'll find that those old favorites are pretty disgusting if you try to go back to them.

3. Make an exercise plan that you can stick with.

The key to healthy weight loss and a healthy lifestyle is getting plenty of exercise. Don't pick something that you can't stand, it will be all too easy to give up. Even if it is something as simple as walking a few miles every day, you need to get out there and get active. The longer you do, the easier it will be to keep going. You won't need to exercise at the same level for the rest of your life, but you will need to get active if you want to stay slim and healthy.

Lifestyle changes do take time and it won't happen overnight. However, these tips will help get you on the road to health and you'll be able to enjoy the process once you get there.

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Getting Past Your First Craving

Today marks day 6 in my medically assisted weightloss journey. Sunday evening I had my first craving and I made it through...

We were having dinner at my wife's parents house... It was a bit of an event... Needless to say I was expecting temptation...

Here is how I prepared... (Water, Water, Water)

Pre-exercise snack... 5 almonds and 1 serving skim milk mozzarella.

Morning Exercise: I went to the gym and did 30 minutes of cardio (20 fast uphill walking and 10 stationary bike.) I then lifted weights...

Breakfast: 2 serving of egg substitute (1/2 cup), 2 servings fat free american cheese (2 slices), 1 serving of non fat cottage cheese (1/4 cup). About 20 minutes after breakfast I had 3 large asparagus which is 2 carbs.

Lunch: 2 servings slices turkey pastrami (3 slices). 1 serving skim milk mozzarella.

Then right before leaving to go to my in-laws I had 5 almonds.

So far my daily count is 9 protein and 2 carbs... (I get to exchange nonfat cottage cheese and cheese for protein plus 10 almonds.) My doctor mentioned I could have a 5 almond snack, but it is not in my book so I will have to ask how it counts...

I brought a nonfat no sugar dressing to dinner...

Dinner:

The hors dourves... There was an unleavened pizza that looks really good, but I opted for broccoli dipped in the salad dressing I brought. I estimate I had 1 serving of broccoli.

The actual dinner was the hard part, but it was easy enough... I had just the broth of the mathza ball soup and chicken with the skin pulled off. I had a leg and thigh and ate a little more than 1/2. I also had asparagus and zucchini (both were done to perfection on the grill.)

I estimate my total count for the day being 13 protein and 5 carbs.

So what was the temptation... The unleavened pizza, the excellent wine that was served, and the matzah ball soup... Desert was not a temptation as I was full after the meal.

If you are facing a known event were temptation will be present... I encourage you to follow my example...

  • WATER
  • Exercise early in the day
  • Eat well but within you diet before the meal leading up to the event
  • Eat 5 almonds 1/2 hour prior to the temptation
  • Bring you own salad dressing because you can have all the salad you can eat
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