The previous year was quite challenging and many people put on what was lovingly called the “Quarantine 15” or “The Rona Bulge.” However with summer fast approaching and the world being back open, folks are realizing that it is time to get back on track.
While many people desire to lose that excess weight; they want a quick and easy solution that is not too restrictive, where they don’t have to give up too much of what they love to eat to get the results that they desire.
Sounds like a fantasy but the reality is you can actually lose a pound or more a week by being mindful of a few things.
For sustained results, you should note that your weight loss goals should be to lose 1-2 pounds per week so that the loss remains attainable.
In order to lose 1 pound per week, you need to take in 3500 less calories, which can be done by cutting back on portions, making lower calorie swaps or increasing exercise to burn off more calories.
Here are 7 ways to drop a pound or two a week. Some of the tips will help you cut a few hundred calories, while the others will help trim 250 or fewer calories and should be combined with some form of exercise to amplify the calorie deficit results.
Feel free to combine a few if you’d like, or tackle one a week and continue to add on once you’ve gotten used to it.
1. Walk an extra hour per day.
A 155-pound woman walking at a pace of a 17-minute mile on a flat surface can burn about 267 calories.
You can break this up into 20-minute segments such as 20-minutes in the morning, 20-minutes during lunch and 20-minutes after dinner.
2. Swap a fast food muffin for an English muffin.
Trade that Chocolate Chunk Muffin at Starbucks for a light Thomas English Muffin at home with a tablespoon of peanut, almond or cashew butter. It has less calories, is very satisfying and is, in fact, better for you.
3. Trade a 20-ounce soda for water.
I dislike soda. It’s so bad for all aspects of the body. Soda is packed with sugar and empty calories. If you swap a 20-ounce bottle of soda for seltzer water or a glass of water, you’d save 240 calories, not to mention at least 64 grams of sugar. This one, daily change could result in a 25-pound weight reduction in a year!
4. Have a broth-based soup before your meal.
People who sipped on a broth-based soup prior to their meal reduced their total caloric intake by 20 percent. This goody can be done at home or when dining out at a restaurant.
5. Doggie bag your meal.
It’s a known fact that the average restaurant entrée is about 1200 calories, more than double of what you should be eating in one meal. Ask your server to place half of the entrée on your plate and put the rest in a to-go container so you won’t be tempted to eat it. It’s a win-win actually! You could save 600 calories with this goody and also have a meal for the next day as well.
6. Choose lower calories sides.
When dining at a restaurant, swap French fries with about 273 calories for a cup of steamed broccoli. Better yet, hold the butter and save about 230 calories.
7. Ditch the alcohol on weekdays and save 500-900 calories weekly.
Here’s to you looking fabulous, fit and sexy!
Namaste,
Rochel Marie Lawson, RN, HP, CMS
The Queen of Feeling Fabulous