5 Ways to Lose Weight Now

With the holidays behind us, along with all of the indulging and celebrations that go along with it, it’s time once again to think about shedding that extra weight. Holiday pounds are easy to put on and take longer to get off. But fortunately changes can be made to your lifestyle that will keep them off for good.

It starts with 5 basic concepts that when implemented, can lead to a thinner you. Each one of these principles is part of a plan that will lead to permanent lifestyle changes. And changing your lifestyle means that even if you cheat once in while (such as during the holidays) you will still succeed in the long run. Please don’t expect change over night. Quick fixes don’t work when it comes to weight loss because they are not part of a lifestyle change. Long-term, permanent changes will bring about a long-term success.

1. First, cut the junk! Sodas, sweets, junk food, processed foods. Cut down gradually. Substitute and use snack bags to control portion sizes. Your body will convert sugar into fat; so don’t be fooled by packaged foods loaded with sugar that claim to be FAT FREE! Sure, they are fat free until your body, through the process of fatty acid synthesis, turns that sugar into fat.

2. Start moving! 10 minutes walking work your way to 30 minutes. Depending on your age, physical condition, etc. Start out slow and work your way up to a pace that you can handle. For some, that will be a daily jog, for others, fast walking 3 to 5 times per week. Try it out and see how much weight you can drop from this kind of activity.

3. Start working your muscles. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn during the day. The majority of fat burning takes place just after your workout as your glucose levels are at their lowest, but there is some fat burning that takes place for a longer period of time as well. Weight training has many additional benefits including bone health, appearance, and of course increased strength.

4. Get more rest. People that get plenty of rest tend not to be as hungry during the day. Recent research by Columbia University showed that people who got more sleep consume fewer calories during the day. Interestingly, women consumed substantially more fat calories when they got less sleep.

5. Eat smaller meals more often. Train your body that more food is coming soon. If you eat more frequently, your body will tend to store less fat because it knows another meal is just around the corner.

Keeping it simple and applying these simple principles to your lifestyle will help you lose weight and keep it off permanently.