The next time you encounter a trigger food and then find yourself feeling sorry for yourself, stop right there! Stop exhausting yourself by fighting invisible enemies. Just pull yourself together and make your food choice. Alway decide whether you are going to walk away or stay to eat that food – with full awareness that if you eat that food, you’ll have to wear it later.

Regardless of your choice, take responsibility and ownership for it and don’t blame the food, or the diet, or the argument you had 20 minutes before. Don’t grumble about your weight and bore everyone around you with talk of how you’re going on a diet.

Being slim is not a birthright. Neither is being able to eat anything you want anytime you want too. If your goal is to be thin, you must occasionally just say no. And if you are going to say no then you have to do it of with own free will. Such self-chosen avoidance is not deprivation, it’s liberation. And with each time you say “No, thank you” you will gain a bit more control, self-esteem and self-reliance.

1. When your outside walk as briskly as you comfortably can. If you walk quickly – at a 10-minute per mile to 16 minute per mile pace – you should be able to burn twice as many calories as when your at a 20 minute per mile pace. At first you might not be able to move very quickly in the beginning, but as you get more fit, you can add in some fast paced walking intervals.  Always track of your heart rate to ensure that you’re getting all the aerobic benefits that walking has to offer.

2. Another method to spice up your walking routine is to take a hike. Hiking over hilly terrain can shapes your butt and thighs and also helps you burn those extra calories. Another benefit is you are communing with nature, this can be more interesting than following white lines on a track, and it’s also more relaxing than traversing going through a concrete jungle full of skirts and suites.

3. Try sneaking in a walk whenever you can. Don’t drive your car and walk it to the train station. Take a 10-15 minute walk during your lunch break. When on a trip, traverse the airport on foot rather than on that automatic walking belt. Many times you actually save time by walking.

A nice, low fat meal can be something very grand or as simple as a fresh fruit, yogurt, or granola. It can easily take five hours or be ready in 5 minutes. To add years onto your life outside the kitchen – and also make the most of your time in the kitchen you should start by following these few, but simple rules:

1. Always keep it simple. Many times some of the best meals are made with just a few fresh vegetables, some herbs and spices, and a piece of fish, chicken, or even a baked potato.

2. Don’t take long; keep it quick. Use fast cooking methods like stir-frying, steaming, or sautéing instead of time-intensive techniques like stewing or roasting.

3. Remember to spice it up. Most kitchens only contain a small assortment of herbs and spices such as – salt, pepper, maybe some garlic powder and oregano – despite the fact that spices from around the globe are available in almost any neighborhood supermarket. Increasing your assortment of spices is the single most important thing you can do to expand your flavor horizons.

Most of us enjoy savoring a nice glass of wine or an ice cold beer every once, maybe twice or thrice in awhile but if you are trying to follow a weight loss diet, the empty calories in alcohol can really derail your goals. The calories our bodies absorb through liquor or other alcoholic beverages are considered empty, as they provide no nutritional benefit whatsoever, yet require additional effort in order to burn off.

A gram of alcohol contains seven calories, which is nearly twice that as a gram of carbohydrate or protein, both of which are four calories per gram. As you can imagine, the extra calories in alcohol add up quite quickly. On top of that is the theory that the body uses alcohol as an energy source before macronutrients like carbs, protein or fats, meaning you’ll be running on booze before your body taps in to any actual food. Not exactly an ideal situation when you’re trying to shed the beer belly.

So while it’s quite unrealistic to expect yourself to entirely abstain from the occasional cocktail or two, there are some choices that may be better than others.

The juices, sodas and syrups that are added to cocktails and highballs can double or even quadruple the caloric value with only an ounce or two. If you feel you’d like to indulge in a beverage or two (and I’m not recommending you do) choose a hard liquor like gin, vodka, rye, tequila or scotch and either drink it straight (yeowch!) or mix with water, diet soda or pellegrino. Stay away from fruity, tropical drinks like pina coladas and daiquiris which will easily add two to five times the calories. Opt for dry wine over sweet dessert wines to save  yourself half the calories and obviously you should order the light beer as opposed to the regular beer.

Remember, it should always go without saying that alcohol should be used responsibly and with moderation, not just to keep the pounds from piling on, but more importantly to stay safe and healthy! Always drink responsibly. That’s my public service announcement for the day!

Related posts:

1. A High Fiber Diet For Optimal Weight Loss
2. Healthy Weight Loss Diets Should Include Low Calorie Snacks
3. Extreme Weight Loss – Beyond the Definition of Morbid Obesity

How much do the Calories in Liquor affect your Weight Loss Diet? is a post from WorkoutBOX

About Shauna

Shauna is a personal trainer, nutrition consultant and health and fitness writer for Workoutbox.com. She is also the creator of the “Soccer Mom weight loss program”.

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