Hi all

Here are some weight loss tips that I use to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.

1) Take the stairs. Yes I know that at the end of the day it may be the last thing on your mind but after you do it a few times it does get easier. Plus it does awesome things to your gluts and your quads.

2) Walk to the store, coffee shop or bookstore if you can. If what you need is within a few blocks and it is still daylight there is no excuse to use your car.

3) While waiting for your dinner to cook, pick up two cans of soup and use them as bar bells. Do two quick sets and go on with your life.

4) Stretch for ten minutes first thing in the morning. It will keep you limber and give you a nice energy boost.

5) Babysit for an energetic toddler. You will spend so much time running around and putting things away that you will earn whatever indulgence you treated yourself to this week.

6) Set aside a small amount of a dessert that you love and put the rest away. Ex. I love chocolate covered espresso beans. I take three out and put the rest of the bag away so that I don’t inadvertently eat the whole thing while watching tv.

7) Drink lots of water. It will fill you up plus studies have shown that many times when we think that we are hungry it is just misidentified dehydration.

Eat uncooked crunchy vegetables. They are hard to digest so they actually burn calories, plus they taste great and are good for you.  Raw carrots are one of my favorite snacks.

9) Eat a small apple before dinner. The fiber in it will fill you up and you will naturally eat less.

10) Don’t fight your cravings. If you want a chocolate chip cookie have it. Don’t eat what you think you should eat first. This only leaves you feeling deprived and you may find yourself binge eating later on. Plus you have just doubled your calories.

Ex. You want the cookie but think you shouldn’t have it. So you make yourself a small sandwich instead. For the rest of the night you think of that cookie until you just have to have it. You have now eaten the sandwich calories plus the cookie calories. Now how does that make sense?

Have weight loss tips of your own? Write them in!

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Here is a cool little site that lists how many calories are burned for different every day activities: calories