Show us Your Life-Diets, Exercise and Weight Loss Tips

If you know me IRL (in real life), then you probably are already giggling or at least smirking to yourself at that title. Honestly, people want to listen to my weight loss tips as much as one would want to listen to *fill in the name of a millionaire hotel heiress here (don't want searches for her leading people here)* giving ideas on how to live on a small budget. Honestly, being overweight is something I've never struggled with...being underweight is. People tend to roll their eyes when I say that sort of thing, but only because they understand my issues about as much as I understand theirs. But it kinda stinks, being underweight. I feel like it makes me look older than I am, and my proportions are weird, so clothes never fit right. So it's not really all that fun being underweight.

All that being said, I do know a bit about nutrition and healthy eating. I believe that it's a lifestyle change that's important for weight loss...not some diet program that you may or may not be able to stay on. Sweet Hubby struggles with his weight and he is currently in the process of trying to lose about 30 pounds. We've changed some of our habits for this reason. So here's the run down of a few things we're doing that are important things to do for EVERYONE to live full and healthy lives. And these are probably things you've heard a million times before....I don't claim that any of these are original ideas.

• Read labels! Generally speaking, it's my belief that the fewer ingredients, the better. Learn how to read labels and nutrition facts.
  
• When buying grains (like bread, pasta and cereals), look for whole grain as the first ingredient. And sugar should be as far down the list as possible....certainly not in the top 2 or 3.
• Everything in moderation! Don't completely deprive yourself of the things you love (like chocolate or soda), just don't indulge several times daily. A soda with a special meal once in a while isn't going to hurt you! Keeping that treat as "forbidden fruit" might later cause you to binge and then feel guilty...that actually CAN hurt you in the long run.
• Find new and creative ways to incorporate veggies in your diet. We always hear we should be eating more, but if you are like me, buying a new veggie and then slapping it down on my plate is not really appealing. If you can plan ahead and find a tasty recipe for that new veggie, you'll be more likely to eat it (and enjoy it, too!). In my own experience, I've found that you can't go wrong grilling or roasting veggies. Hubby and I have found that we LOVE grilled onions and peppers with just about everything!
• PORTION CONTROL. Seriously, folks, this is huge. Portion control is one of the simplest ways to start eating better and see a difference. Learn what proper portions are. You've probably heard it recently, but if not, here's the breakdown of what your plate should be: 1/4 (or less) of lean protein, 1/4 carb and 1/2 fruits or veggies. 3 oz of protein is a serving. It's probably less than you think. So pay attention to serving size and portion sizes.
• Snacks count! Instead of grabbing an empty-calorie snack like chips or candy, make every bite count and have a piece of fruit or some veggies. Even a piece of whole wheat bread with a smear of peanut butter, and a small glass of milk can hold you until your next meal.
• Don't eat until you are miserably full. This kind of goes along with portion control. Your brain is slow in telling you when your tummy is full. So quit eating well before you are full. Put smaller amounts of things on your plate if you have to, so you don't feel guilty about leaving food on the plate. It's OKAY to not eat everything on your plate.
• Don't eat 2-3 hours before bed.
  
• Last but not least, BABY STEPS. There is no way to make every change that you need to make in one day. If you try that, you will fail. Change one or two things, give yourself and your family a couple weeks or a month to get used to it, and then move on to the next thing to change. Start buying whole grain bread first and when you are used to that, stop buying soda and drinking more water, and when you are used to that.....you get the idea. Baby steps folks. And always keep moving in the right direction.

So there you have it. Nothing life changing or earth shattering. Simple, common sense things, really. But things that we all need to be reminded of once in a while (myself included!).

For more ideas and tips, visit Kelly's Korner for Show us Your Life Friday!