Little Tips to Losing Weight

There is a sensible approach to losing extra poundsThere's a sensible approach to losing extra pounds.

Like to lose a few pounds but can't face the thought of dieting? Take heart--you can lose weight without suffering. By making small changes in your daily routine and diet, you can drop 14 pounds in a little more than two months--without feeling deprived.

It's simple math. For every 3,500 calories you expend above what you take in, you lose a pound. Pare 350 calories from what you normally eat and burn an extra 350 a day, and you'll be 14 pounds lighter in 70 days.

Best of all, you'll probably find this kind of gradual approach to weight loss more painless than trying to stick to a strict low-calorie plan. "If you make a really dramatic change, you make it so overwhelming you just revert back to what you were doing before," says registered dietitian Evelyn Tribole, author of Stealth Health (Viking Penguin, 1998) and Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book for the Chronic Dieter (St. Martin's Press, 1995). "[But] if you make a small change usually it means that it's something really doable ... and something that you can do forever for the rest of your life."

Follow these simple suggestions and you'll not only lose weight--you'll also create new habits that will help keep you trim in the future.

Tune In to Your Body

Are you truly hungry when you eat? Or do you tend to snack out of habit without paying attention to your appetite? "If you're eating when you're not hungry, those are usually extra calories that your body does not need," says Tribole. Instead, "check in" with your body to confirm that you're physically hungry before you eat. (Save 246 calories by passing up two chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of 2 percent milk.)

Reportion Your Portions

Many of us tend to eat more servings of fat-free foods such as bagels, cereals, and grains than we realize, says Dr. Kristine Clark, director of sports nutrition at Penn State University. "People have heard the message that fat matters, but not the message that portions of food matter," explains Clark. Check the food packaging for suggested serving size and compare it to what you're actually eating--you may be surprised. A 105-calorie serving of Grape-Nuts, for example, is only one-fourth cup of cereal--a large bowl can easily exceed 400 calories.

You don't have to measure your food to do this. Forty-six-year-old Jenny Meyer of California uses what she calls "two-fist portion control," when she wants to lose weight. She limits her first serving at any meal to an amount no bigger than the size of her two fists--and then sets a timer to allow 10 minutes before deciding whether to have seconds. If you're dining out and can't control your portions, simply divide your meal into thirds and leave a third on your plate--you'll cut total calories without feeling deprived. (Save as many as 209 calories by leaving a third of your sandwich and fries at lunch.)

Use a Speed Bump

If you tend to be a fast eater, try a "speed bump" food at the beginning of your meal. A speed bump food, explains Tribole, is something like hot soup or zesty salsa that you can't consume very quickly--so you're forced to slow down, which gives your body a chance to feel satisfied before you overeat. Since it takes at least 20 minutes to feel full, take your time and concentrate on enjoying your food instead of gobbling it down--you'll wind up consuming less. (Save 352 calories by skipping that third piece of deep-dish pizza.)

Make Smarter Substitutions

We tend to eat the same foods over and over, so look at the foods you regularly consume and cut calories that you won't miss. If you always eat buttered toast for breakfast, try it with jam or fruit spread instead. Cut back on the mayo you spread on your sandwich. And instead of using margarine on cooked vegetables, try a nonfat butter-flavored spray. That's one of the ways Jean Lawrence limits her fat grams to 20 a day--and she's gone down a dress size and a half in less than six months. (Save 100 calories per tablespoon of margarine you skip.)



Every Little Bit Helps

Don't be daunted by burning additional calories--it's easier than you think. "In terms of energy expenditure, all physical activity counts," says Dr. Miriam Nelson, author of Strong Women Stay Slim (Bantam, 1998). "Everything--from standing up out of a chair to walking down a hall to lifting weights or biking--counts, so people really need to be conscious of trying to increase physical activity in little ways throughout the day."

Even the busiest moms can work extra movement into their schedules, says health educator Sheila Reynolds, of the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research. Park farther away from the store or take the stairs instead of the elevator when you're running errands. "We try to get women to think about what they're already doing and how they can do it more briskly and with more purpose," says Reynolds. For example, chores such as vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting can be leisurely or challenging, depending on how much effort you expend. The harder you work, the more calories you use! (Burn 170 calories for 40 minutes of housecleaning and doing laundry.)

Get Moving!

Don't overlook the calorie-burning benefits of regular exercise. Aim for 30 minutes of sustained physical activity most days of the week. Busy women may find it more convenient to break this time into three 10-minute segments, says Heather Hedrick, assistant director of the Center for Educational Services at the National Institute of Fitness and Sport. "You may not have 30 minutes, but you probably have small chunks of time throughout the day," says Hedrick. "Take breaks from work and walk up and down the stairs or go outside." (Burn 117 calories by walking up and down your stairs for 10 minutes.)

Build Your Muscle

Finally, if you want to achieve lasting weight loss, don't neglect strength training. It's effective for weight control because it helps maintain muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat even at rest, says Nelson. Investing in dumbbells and performing a simple weight routine twice a week will keep you toned--and increase the number of calories you burn no matter what you're doing. (Burn 110 calories by lifting dumbbells for 20 minutes.)

Kelly James-Enger