The problem with humans is we are impatient! We just don’t have the patience to work hard towards our goal at a steady pace. We want quick results. This is especially true when it comes to weight loss. We want to lose 10 pounds in a week! I mean, seriously?

You gained those 10 pounds after months of hard work from eating junk foods, sedentary lifestyle, pleasure eating, and making the most of your couch and television! And now, you want to lose those 10 pounds in just a week? Not fair!

You have to give your body and also your mind enough time to get rid of what you have accumulated and treasured over so many months or years. So, forget the marathon workouts and deprivation diets and get on the path of “slow and steady wins the race!”

The all you need to do is skip the high-carb and high-fat foods. It will take time, but make sure you stick to the plan. Here are some tips and tricks that will prevent you from faltering on your diet while on a long journey for weight loss!

1. Where’s the pen?

Your pen is going to be your friend who will remind you of your follies and keep you from cheating on yourself. So, put your pen to good use and write down everything that you eat in a day. When I say everything, it means ‘EVERYTHING.’ Don’t forget to write even that half piece of chocolate you gulped while admiring your fridge.

Mindless munching between meals can easily polish off the effect of good things you have done to lose weight. You don’t realize how much you are eating because you just don’t count the calories that come from your in-between short snacking.

So, when you write down what and how much you’ve eaten, you get an idea of your actual calorie intake. Once you clear the sweet misconception you have had about yourself that you eat very less, you’re more likely to begin practicing portion control and lose pounds faster.

2. Limit fatty foods.

Tag your favorite high-calorie and high-fat foods and downshift gradually. The top five high-fat foods include;

Cookies

Cookies Ice cream

Candy

Fries

Potato chips

If you’re eating these foods ten times in a week; try to go down to 8 in this week, 6 in the next and so on till you stop eating them completely. The stress here is again on losing weight slowly and not hurrying up with crash diets.

3. Eat fruits.

Fruits are the healthiest foods you can eat provided you ‘EAT’ them! Yes, fruits are the best when eaten and not when drunk as juice. Skipping juice and eating the whole fruit is the best way to get the most nutrients out of it and also to lose weight.

Fruits give you more fibers, which can help you stay satisfied for longer. Also, the liquid carbohydrates in juices are not as filling as the solids. So, you are going to feel hungry even after drinking fruit juice. So, trust the nature and eat the fruits in the form nature gives you! Here is the list of fruits that are the best when it comes to weight loss:

Guava

Banana

Apples

Watermelons

Oranges

Grapefruit

Avocados

4. Don’t forget the veggies.

Vegetables are another gift by nature to humankind. Nature does really care for our health. Make sure you include veggies in your regular diet. You can eat them raw as in carrots, and cucumbers or cook them. Eat them in plenty. Veggies make you feel full and prevent the urge to binge eat. Here are some veggies that can help with weight loss:

Peppers

Broccoli

Spinach

Onions

5. Move away from the television.

The problem with television is not the shows you are watching but the commercials about foods that peep in between and tempt your taste buds. Make sure you move away from the television once the commercial break begins!

You can dance, skip, jog in place, or go up and down the stairs! This will not only take your mind off from the delicious foods shown in the commercials but also help you lose weight by burning calories. Don’t believe? You will be surprised to know that doing these simple exercises for the each 2-minute break during your typical 2-hour TV time will help you burn 270 calories every day! I think that says it all!

6. Follow the 1-mile rule.

Most people use their cars even for running an errand within a distance of 1 mile. Wouldn’t it be wiser to burn the fats instead of gas by walking an errand instead of driving to the place? It sure makes sense. So, the next time your errands are less than a mile away, walk them.

7. Climb three extra flights.

Elevators are for our convenience. But, if they get in a way of your good heath, then it’s best to ditch them and rely on the good old stairs. Including just 5 minutes of stair climbing in your daily routine, which should cover 5 to 7 floors, can help you burn calories and also, boost your metabolic rate. The high metabolic rate will increase your body’s ability to burn fats faster.

8. Healthy up the happy hours.

Success has to be celebrated, but how? When we are happy and joyous after a perfect presentation or a promotion, we want to celebrate the success with a dinner party that usually includes deep-fried and high-carb foods. Well, there are healthier ways to celebrate success.

Arrange fun-filled outdoor activities for your friends and colleagues that will burn lots of calories and promote weight loss. Your health-conscious friends will surely appreciate this.

9. And finally; buy small bowls and plates!

When we serve food to ourselves, we tend to fill the plate full. That’s a human tendency! We want our platter full always. Nothing wrong with that; but just make sure the plate is smaller.

Buy dishes and bowls that are smaller in size. So, even when you fill them full, the actual amount of food you consume will be less. It will also give you the satisfaction of eating a full meal!

These tips will surely keep you on the right path and help you lose those 10 or even 20, 30, and more pounds in a healthy way!