The Easiest Tips to Slim Down for the Summer!

Let's face it: we all want to look our best all the time, and especially before we hit the beach. We diet and exercise to reach our goal but sometimes we fail to see the fine print that really makes a difference!

Stand up for your goals!
When you stand up, your body uses more muscles to support itself than when sitting down. This causes your metabolic rate to rise, which burns more calories. Try standing up for a couple of minutes while watching television during commercial breaks, or stand to watch the pretty sunset on your deck or through a window.

The early bird gets the worm!
Start and finish your eating for the day early. Eat breakfast as early as possible, and finish your day off with an early dinner and a no-eat-after-8pm (for example) policy. Your body is most active during the daytime, which means that it will burn more calories then than at night. Also, the earlier you eat, the less food you have in your system to disturb your sleeping at night. When your body is processing food, it is active, which conflicts with the inactive brain trying to kick into sleep mode. Sleeping well is a crucial component of a refreshed morning, giving you more energy to focus on your dieting and exercise!

Late-night snacks are your enemy!
Like I said before, your body is less active at night, meaning that you have a greater chance of turning that slice of pizza into pure fat than burning it as a source of energy.

Stop that nagging sweet tooth and the endless carb cravings!
Been there, done that. Sometimes it is just impossible to avoid that sugary or carb-y craving! Quit now? Of course not. Replace a slice of apple pie with strawberries dipped in light whipped cream or drizzled with dark chocolate, saving some calories and giving your body a dose of sugary goodness and essential vitamins. Dying for a croissant? Try rolling your favorite sliced deli meat (pastrami, roast beef, ham, turkey, etc.) and some lettuce or tomato slices into a medium-sized piece of pita bread. You'll get that much needed protein and avoid the excess fats in croissants and other baked goods. It's almost too good to be true!

Chew gum!
Chewing gum is not guaranteed to keep you full, but it does help distract you from thinking about other foods due to the gum's strong taste and smell. The important thing is that it tricks your body into thinking that you are about to send some food to your stomach, signaling the start of the digestive process, which helps things in there run more smoothly and burns a considerable amount of calories.

Excuses, excuses, excuses!
One of the ways I trick myself into moving more throughout the busy hours is by "forcing" myself to forget certain things downstairs or in the next room. I make excuses to move more. In other words, if I want to go downstairs to get my allergy medicine and a glass of water, I'll take the water upstairs and leave the medicine behind for a second trip. This way, instead of taking the stairs twice up and down I take them four times, and burn twice the calories! So easy, takes a couple of seconds, and at least burns off that little piece of chocolate I couldn't resist the night before.

If you want something, work for it!
Need a snack? Don't make it as easy as walking to the kitchen. Challenge yourself. Think, "If I want to have some of those chips, I have to run up and down the stairs five times... or walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes." If you're not really hungry, or you're tired, you'll consider the effort involved in getting those chips before you even get up, and you'll most likely steer away from the idea. If you decide to go for the snack anyway, then you'll burn its calories' worth before you even get to it.

Eat your veggies!
Short and sweet: digesting (especially raw) vegetables burns more calories than those packed in the vegetables themselves. So by the time your system is done digesting those baby carrots (without ranch!), you will have gotten rid of their calories' worth and some. Also, the fiber in vegetables gives a sense of fullness. That's two birds with one veggie!

Obviously, these tidbits will help you along the way, but they are no replacement for sensible eating and appropriate exercise. Happy dieting! Make healthy living a habit.