9 Basic Guidelines that Helped Me Lose Weight

1.      Weight loss = More calories out versus calories in.

There is no way around it.  What you eat and drink must be less than your body burns every day in order for weight loss to be successful.  Figure out YOUR daily caloric needs here:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/calorie-calculator/itt-20084939

2.      Food Logs do work.

Record everything – One of the things my clients are fascinated by when they start their program is they actually get to see how much they are actually eating.  Many never used a food log or journal so they are surprised when they start recording at the amount of calories they are eating. 

Record each food/drink and size of the portion you eat into the program of your choice - include cheat meal and meals that you don’t prepare yourself.  There are many apps and online programs that you can use to accomplish this, but the one I prefer is www.MyFitnessPal.com.  One thing that is usually overlooked are oils used to sauté, cooking sprays, butter, ketchup, etc. are often over looked.  Record everything so that you can get an accurate calorie count every day. 

3.      Weigh and measure everything that you put in your mouth!

I hate counting calories, but I don’t mind weighing 2 ounces of ham or measuring a cup of cereal.  This converts to calories and I find it much easier to track.  I use a digital food scale that measures in both grams and ounces along with measuring cups and spoons.

It bears repeating:      WEIGH AND MEASURE EVERYTHING YOU EAT OR DRINK!!!!!

You may think you know how big a serving of something is, but 1 cup of cereal and 1 cup of milk is a lot smaller portion than what our eyes would like us to believe.  Using visual guides like a protein portion being the size of a deck of cards is helpful but not as accurate as weighing 4 oz of chicken on your food scale.

4.      Weigh yourself daily.

Some people don’t like this, but I’ve found it helps me to stay on track a lot more than if I weighed myself once a week.  Plus weighing yourself more often will make you more in touch with your body.  You’ll understand how eating certain foods affect your body and your weight. 

Understand that you will have natural fluctuations in your weight up and down.  For instance due to PMS (sorry guys) I may experience a temporary gain of up to 5 lbs or no loss at all for a period of time, usually 5-7 days.  Also the foods that you eat may cause a temporary gain – most likely foods that are higher in salt because it makes you retain water temporarily.  As long as you don’t freak out because you ate your cheat meal and you’re up 3 lbs the next morning, you should weigh yourself every day. 

Except for the first 2 weeks (if you are brand spanking new to weight loss) you should notice a loss of some sort approximately every 3 days or so. 

5.      Invest some time in preparation of your daily meals.

So that I don’t end up eating too much, I prepare my food ahead of time – invest this time for yourself – YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!  On Sunday night I may grill my proteins for the week, weighing and storing each portion in bags for later.  Depending on my meals, it may take me 30 minutes or more to get everything together the night before.  This includes what I drink, usually brewed teas and water.  Then I make sure I don’t eat anything that I didn’t pack.

6.      Cheat ONCE a week.

Do not deprive yourself of your favorite foods completely.  Have one cheat meal a week – your reward for following your plan the rest of the week.  Have your favorite foods here - be it a juicy steak and potato at Texas Roadhouse or the bacon guacamole burger and steak fries from Red Robin or your favorite pizza and don’t forget dessert!  Whatever you desire, but limit it to once a week.  Knowing that this meal is coming, you’ll be less likely to cheat during the rest of the week. 

7.      FIBER

Very important.  It helps you feel fuller and keeps the works greased, if you know what I mean.  A tasty and high source of fiber I’ve recently found are LaTortilla Company’s products.  The three I prefer are Whole Wheat/Low Carb, Tomato Basil with Olive Oil, and Multigrain with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  The whole wheat is only 80 calories and the other two are 100 calories.  All three have 12 grams of fiber in each wrap.  This is half of your daily need and the tortillas are a fantastic substitute for breads. 

8.      Whole and Organic

Everything in your body is affected by what you feed it:  from your skin to your heart – if affects how your organs function and your skin looks.  I’ve found that the more natural and whole foods I eat, the better I feel,  the better I look, my energy level is a lot higher, and my overall sense of well being is improved.

Another rule I’ve found really helpful:  Read package labels.  If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.  I’ve been eating more “organically” and the affect I’ve noticed is that I really, really don’t crave BAD foods any more. 

9.      Supplements

Supplements may also help, depending on your needs and the affect you desire.  If you are interested I can offer suggestions about others that I personally take.

If you'd like help with your weight loss journey, contact me to schedule your free initial consultation with me today! - See more at: http://www.newyouwellnessllc.com/#sthash.O9ECPDhO.dpuf