Ten Shortcuts to Weight Loss

Any doctor worth his office fee will tell you there is no instant way to lose all the weight you want to lose. That having been said, there are many ways to lose a little weight that can add up to a lot of weight. Try these easy methods and be prepared to explain your new thinness when you won't even know how you did it yourself.

Make a habit of drinking ice water. It's the easiest way to lose weight and it takes no effort at all. By drinking three bottles of ice cold water a day, you can lose up to five pounds in one year. Cold water forces your body to work harder to keep you warm. To raise your body temperature you must burn calories!

Don't even look for the best parking spot. Walking just a wee bit further to your destination is unintentional exercise. Exercise has many benefits, it helps curb your appetite, fights depression, (which is a major snacking trap) and burns calories!

Sleep with one less blanket. You don't want to freeze to death but lowering your body temperature as you sleep has two great results. One is you burn calories as your body fights to keep you warm, and two, it helps you develop 'brown fat', a beneficial fat that speeds up your metabolism.

Add apples. Before each meal eat at least one half of an apple. Then you can eat your regular meal with less guilt because the fiber of the apple will help the food move quickly through your system and less of it will 'stick to your ribs'.

Breathe. If you have a watch that you can set to beep once an hour, use that alarm to remind yourself to breathe deeply. The benefits of more oxygen are many. Your body requires oxygen to burn fat, oxygen feeds and replenishes your cells making your skin clearer and giving you more energy. When you have energy you move more which means that you are burning calories and fat!

Stretch. When you are feeling sluggish, stand up and reach for the ceiling, the floor, and all four walls, one at a time. When you stretch your body, you force oxygen and water into your tissues. Those two elements act like cleaning tools to scrub toxins and waste products from your cells. You will feel renewed and refreshed, it's great exercise too!

Dab pizza and burgers with a napkin. It just takes a few seconds and in a year's time could help you lose up to ten pounds. Just blot the extra fat from your cheeseburger, fries, fried chicken, or pizza and throw it away! This works when you make food at home as well. Spoon off and discard extra fat from soups, lasagna, gravies, and sauces. You won't miss it nor the extra weight it causes!

Sleep longer. Go to sleep one half hour earlier than usual. That's one half hour in which you won't be snacking, you will be breathing steadily, and your mind will be at rest. Adequate amounts of sleep help us cope with daily pressures better and help us crave less food for energy the next day.

Don't buy bigger clothes. When you have to limit yourself to the clothes you have, you have incentive to skip that piece of cheesecake or stop at two drinks. Your jeans will fit better if you are conscious of what you are eating and when you can't breath while wearing them, it's all you will think about!

Hug more. Our bodies produce a hormone when we feel affection toward someone that increases our heart rate and circulation. Hugging people we care about is a natural antidepressant and stimulant that is better than any drug!

Using theses ten tips will definitely help you in your struggle to lose weight, but they will make it no struggle at all! Print this list and carry it, or put it where you are most tempted to snack, or where you dress for best results. Share it with a friend for a built in support partner!!