5 Rules to Eating So You Can Forget That Diet

Let’s face it – weight loss happens when we have self control and discipline. Usually, that combination means a diet. Not necessarily. Here are 5 tricks so that you can eat what you want…in moderation, that is.

1. Ask yourself if you’re hungry. Often we’re tired, bored, or even thirsty when we shovel food in our mouths. So just ask yourself: am I really hungry?

2. Don’t eat after 7. You’ve probably heard this one before and, while the act of eating won’t cause you to gain unnecessary weight, it’s simply that by the time morning comes, you won’t be as hungry for breakfast. In short, eating after 7 or 8 at night gets your metabolism and eating schedule out of whack.

3. Watch your portions. This is the most important rule. It’s no secret that Americans are an incredibly overweight population and it’s no wonder why – the portions you get eating out could more often than not feed you for an entire day, let alone one meal. One of my favorite tricks is – put what you’re eating on a plate or in a bowl – don’t eat directly out of the pan/dish/bag. If you’re still hungry, go for seconds; but chances are you won’t be.

4. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Not only are they good for you, but they’ll fill you up, so you eat less of the more hearty food in your diet.

5. Snack, snack, snack! Technically, it’s better to eat about every three hours than three big meals. So instead of binging three times a day, be sure to grab a little something (a piece of fruit perhaps? ;)), so you don’t have to engorge yourself later.

What’s one of your rules for staying away from the newest fad diet?

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8 Ways To Keep You Fit

The featured photo of the article.

I don’t know about you, but trying to get outside and go for a run in the winter time is nearly impossible. If you’re a skier or snowboarder, your exercise routine is set at the slopes; but for the rest of us, the gym can get monotonous.

Never fear, there are a surprising (and dare I say, fun) amount of outdoor activities that burn a ton of calories.

Snow removal doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Well, maybe it is – but you can feel good about the fact that, while shoveling, you’re burning 298 calories an hour.

Ice skating doesn’t need to be on a rink. Head out to a local lake or pond and burn 357 calories an hour practicing your figure skating moves.

Hiking isn’t just for the warmer months; you’ll be surprised how quickly you get tired. No wonder – you’re burning 408 calories an hour.

Take that hike to the next level and pop on your snowshoes. You’ll burn a tremendous 417 calories per hour.

Get outside with the kids

Take a load off and lay at the snow with this cold weather pastime: snow angels. Doing horizontal jumping jacks burns 214 calories per hour.

Building a snowman? You’ll burn 285 calories an hour. That’s worth building a whole snow family – and don’t forget the dog.

Building in the snow is fun, but throwing it around is too. Having a snowball fight will burn 319 calories an hour.

Last but not least…head back to the slopes with your toboggan. Sledding burns a whopping 357 calories per hour.

Note: All of the calorie statistics are based on a 40 year old, 150 lb. woman…

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The choices we make

The featured photo of the article.

As I approach my 43rd birthday, I find myself pondering my own mortality far more than I do the unlimited potential on the blank canvas of life that lies before me. Now, I know 43 is not “old,” but for the overweight, middle aged person, it can seem a lot closer to the end than to the beginning.

Do I continue to lament the day of my pending demise or do I chart a course down a different path? Should I just throw caution to the wind and see how far a lifelong diet of wings, pizza and beer can take me, or should I start to mix in a new attitude of healthy eating and see how far I can take myself? I choose the latter. The time is now to acknowledge and embrace the changes that need to be made to alter the course of my destiny.

I joined a gym the other day. I’ll be honest. I rue the day of my pending confrontation with Mr. Treadmill. I do not expect this relationship to be filled with exuberance and mirth…

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There are NO Excuses for Not Exercising

We all know we need to exercise – how can we not? We hear it everywhere. That said, it’s often easier to make excuses than make your gym session.

“I don’t have the time”

Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to sleep? We’d get 6-8 hours of extra work/play/relaxation time in. Unfortunately, that’s not a possibility.

So, don’t have time to make it to the gym or get a run in? There’s no secret; you have to make the time. You make the time to watch your favorite TV show, or to get a massage in. Make the time to exercise.

The good news is you don’t need to spend two hours at the gym. Take your dog for a 30 minute walk, or join your kids in a game outside for 45 minutes. There are a ton of activities that burn calories and don’t take a lot of time.

“I don’t have the money”

No one said you have to go to the gym or take expensive classes to exercise. Grab your sneakers and go running on the road, or do some weightlifting with things found around the house (like cans of food).

You don’t even need to buy an expensive workout video to get the most popular workout of the moment – you’ll find shows on the cable you already pay for. Check out some of the major networks early…

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