Easy Tips to Lose Weight Without Trying Too Hard

Losing weight is no easy task. Diets come and go. Trying to lose weight shouldn't mean you have to give up your entire lifestyle, otherwise you'll never succeed. Food is something we can't live without. Since we can't do without it we should enjoy it - but never overdo it. To me, that's the key. You have to let yourself indulge in little things otherwise you'll feel like you're depriving yourself and end up gorging.

With our busy schedules and lives it's hard to find the time to read books on how to create certain menus and follow guidelines on how much of what we should eat. Who has time for all that?

I've watched my weight go up and down like a yo-yo until I had my first child. I wanted to keep a healthy weight in order to instill healthy eating habits for my family. Here's my easy tips on how to I've kept the pounds off:

1. No soda! There's absolutely no nutritional value in soda.
2. Drink 100% juice if you drink juice - but water it down with water. Even juice has a lot of sugar.
3. Water. Water. Water. Drink lots of it. A lot of times you think you're hungry, but you're really thirsty. Always carry a bottle of water with you.
4. Don't eat out a lot. If you do, immediately ask for half to be boxed up. Portions are way too big in restaurants and you'll be tempted to eat more than you should.
5. Cut up fruits and veggies and bag them up in snack-size portions. It's easier to eat things that are already prepped up and ready to go.
6. Try to avoid "white" foods - like white bread, white pasta, white rice, etc. Whole grain and whole wheat are healthier choices.
7. Drink milk. It's not only good for your bones, it helps you feel full.
8. Maintain good posture. If you're a sloucher like I was, just sitting upright or standing up straight can instantly make you look slim and it will help strengthen muscles.
9. Don't go to the grocery store hungry!
10. Thinking about how long it would take to exercise and burn off X amount of calories, does that candy bar look so good anymore?
11. Park your car far away so you'll have to walk.
12. Put fatty foods up high on the very top of pantry shelves. You won't grab for them right away if they're not eye-level and if they're out of reach.
13. When eating a meal, don't put extras on the table - it's too tempting to eat more if it's right in front of you.
14. Try to make things from scratch. I know this sounds time-consuming, but if you make big batches of homemade sauces or dishes, you can not only control how much fats or sugar go into them, but you can also freeze portions for another time.
15. Grow your own little fruit or vegetable garden. You'll be more willing to eat fruits and veggies if you take pride in what you've grown AND they have so much more flavor when they're homegrown.

Bottom line: Even the smallest changes can make a big difference in the long run.