One Gal's Diet Success Story: Low Effort, High Results, No Fads

My favorite story is running into someone I hadn't seen for a few months and having them exclaim profanities in the middle of their own crowded business lobby upon seeing me seven pounds lighter. Honestly, even I am surprised at the results since I only changed a few small things in my lifestyle to achieve this. Plagued by those "stubborn 5 pounds", I did this on my own without any fad dieting, or even dieting at all really. I had decided that I wanted to be down to my idea of bikini weight by summer and had a plan of what I thought might work. It really boils down to the two main ingredients of any diet: change your eating habits and change your activity habits.

1) Changing your eating habits.

a) Don't eat at night. No more late night snacks while watching Top Chef on DVR. I know, that show can make you hungry just watching it, but don't do it! Okay, if you are totally desperate, make sure it's seriously low cal. Pick something you love, too. I have a penchant for pink grapefruits or cherries. If I wanted salty, it was baked chips or crackers, but portioned.

b) Have easy-to-prep low calorie food around the house. Containers of low calorie yogurt or cereal with rice milk for breakfast. Heat-and-serve diet lunches like Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine. They have some new stuff that is to die for and under 300 calories! They are usually around only $2-3 a pop, too. Butternut Squash Ravioli, Chicken Marsala (with whole grain pasta). I also bought a quick & healthy cookbook that had hundreds of pages of low calorie recipes that I make for the whole family for dinner.

c) Don't give up what you love. I love eating out. I love having a glass of wine with dinner. However, I did learn to when to stop eating. Half of that "American portion" is all you need. Share with a friend or just take the rest home and eat it for lunch the next day. It will keep. I read that my stomach has probably also shrunken from eating the smaller portions so that now I get full very easily. No staples required!

2) Change your activity habits.

a) Find something you like doing. I spend most of my day at my desk, but what I do at night is up to me. I was trying to push weights around at the gym and burn calories off on treadmills, but I secretly hated it and so I just didn't go. Then I started trying the classes offered at my gym and found Yoga. Non-aerobic and weirdly hard to start out. It became a challenge every class to see if I could do the poses. I'm totally hooked now. I go to three classes a week at one hour per class. I definitely still sweat those calories off. If Yoga doesn't do it for you, try something else. There are so many options: Zumba, Belly Dancing, Swim Classes, Tennis, etc.

b) Keep busy. Idle hands are the devil's playthings. I have several hobbies. One of which is swing dancing. I do this a couple nights a week. You could substitute salsa or ballroom. Not into dancing? Maybe you've always wanted to learn rock-climbing or acting or sewing. It gets you out of the house and you always make new friends because you already have something in common. Anything to keep you from being bored and thinking of eating: reading, shopping, cleaning, organizing. Just do it.

I am still keeping up with this non-diet, because it's easy. I had yogurt for breakfast and low calorie Cheese Manicotti for lunch just today. Am I perfect every day? Nope. I have a cookie when I want one...but just one. I take a night off here and there and just vegetate on the sofa with the family and a movie. Though I don't consider myself on a diet, I do use that excuse when people offer me unhealthy food: "That's not on my diet." ;)