Losing Weight Without "Dieting"

Losing weight is among the top of many people's to-do list. I know it is mine. However, losing weight is not as easy as putting it on! It sure does seem as the pounds can come on quickly and then take forever to shed away. You do not have to "diet " to lose weight. you do not have to give up your favorites, you just need to be smart and make sensible choices. There are some small ways that you can reduce the number of calories you consume. Here are some small suggestions to do throughout the day to get you started.

Many people need to simply change some of the routines they are used to in the morning. Instead of drinking orange juice in the morning, swap it our for a medium orange. A 12 ounce glass of orange juice has about 140 calories and an orange has 45 calories. Oranges also will provide fiber which will make you feel full longer. Instead of making your omelet with three whole eggs, use four egg whites and 1/4 cup of egg substitute. You will save about 165 calories just from that!! Rather than eating three slices of bacon-which has approximately 378 calories, eat 3 slices of lean Canadian bacon-which has 105 calories. Coffee can be a "trigger food" for many people. Instead of using whole milk in your coffee, try using fat-free milk and use Splenda instead of other substitutes in your morning coffee.

At lunch time, consider what is on your sandwich. If you can substitute mustard for mayonaise, you can save 100 calories per tabelspoon. Leaving off the cheese can save 200 calories per 2 ounces of cheese. Using light bread instead of regular bread is a great way of reducing the amount of calories on a sandwich. Fast food is convenient, but it is not figure friendly! If you must have a burger and fries for lunch, size them down. Rather than eating a large fry-which has 520 calories, choose a small fry with only 230 calories. A plain hamburger has 260 calories and a Big Mac has 560. When craving pasta, eat a smaller portion and order it with a tomato sauce rather than a cream based sauce such as alfredo. Beware of microwave or prepared meals because of the high amounts of calories and sodium they have. Skipping red meat also can save alot of calories!

Snacking is what gets most people in trouble. It is okay to snack throughout the day. Snacking can actually keep your body working and increase your metabolism. However, it must be a healthy snack. If you eat 10 small rice cakes instead of a bag of potato chips, you will have saved 440 calories! Drink water or diet soda instead of regular soda and save 150 calories per can! Fresh fruits and vegetables are always good choices for daytime snacks.

When cooking, use nonfat cooking spray and broths instead of oil, margarine and butter. Salad dressings should be non fat or reduced fat as should other toppings, such as sour cream. It is easy to "drink" a daily amount of calories when out with friends. Alcohol has an incredible amount of calories and carboyhydrates. Split large restaraunt portions with a friend or family member to save a tremendous amount of calories when eating out.