Awoman weighs herself at G W Allan chemists, where the Alli slimming pill is stocked on April 23, 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo : Getty Images/Jeff J Mitchell)
Dieting is not easy especially now that the holidays are almost over and staying in shape was nearly impossible. But there is no need to fret because there are easy steps that can be done in order to shed off some pounds gained over the festive season.
1. Drink plenty of water.
Drinking water before meal can result in reduction of 75 calories, according to a South African study cited by Reader's Digest. Water is excellent when it comes to cleansing the body of unwanted wastes and improving metabolism.
2. Take time to prepare meals.
Getting home feeling hungry will only increase the chance to binge on anything unhealthy found in the fridge or kitchen. It will be time consuming to slice some cucumbers than reaching out to open a bag of chips. Spend at least an hour over the weekend to prepare for some healthier food options for the weekdays. This way, there is always something to grab at home when hunger strikes.
3. Avoid food restriction.
Food restriction does not really work because it will only result in unnecessary craving and binging, according to Daily Star. The approach should be 80/20, where healthy and nutritious foods should be eaten 80 percent of the time and other personal food choices on the remaining 20 percent.
4. Avoid fad diets.
This is very common nowadays especially with the advent of the Internet which made it a lot easier to spread information. There seems to be a new fad diet month over month and it's becoming harder to discern which one to follow. The process of losing weight varies with every individual so consulting a dietician can be one of the best options.
5. Do not skip meals.
This is one common mistake committed by those who desperately want to lose weight. Little did they know that instead of helping them lose weight, they are actually gaining more. Skipping a meal will only leave a person feeling more hungry and by the time he eats, he ends up eating a lot more than he should.
In addition to that, people who eat irregularly consume more calories and burn them less quickly which means more fats stored in the body. Here s a video clip showing some other easy steps for dieting:
