The last week has been great with my weight loss/get healthy program. I have been either walking every day or using my Gazelle. I have also been making healthy choices for meals. I wanted to share some important tips on how to lose weight and get healthy without deprivation or dieting.

I don’t believe in diets. Some seem to  work but generally only for the short term. Have you ever lost weight only to gain it back later? There are some techniques in some of the diet programs that work, but my goal is to have lasting weight loss without starving and depriving myself. I like to call my program Choices because it’s all about having a lot of options to choose from. When you have a system that you enjoy, you will stick with it. It becomes a lifestyle change.

Here a some quick tips for you to use for your weight loss/get healthy program:

• Always eat breakfast: start the day with a healthy breakfast that is high in fiber and protein. The fiber and the protein will keep you full and satisfied longer and also kick starts your metabolism for the day. My favorite breakfast is Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, hot tea, and either fruit or cottage cheese.
• Make small lifestyle changes and practice them every day: park farther away so it’s a little bit further to walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk outside during lunch. These won’t burn tons of calories but they do make a difference in your health and wellness, and they help keep your metabolism going strong.
• Snack throughout the day: always have healthy snacks with you and eat when you are hungry. My favorites are carrots, walnuts, almonds, and sugar snap peas.
• Take advantage of your time: when you are standing in line, do butt crunches or tighten your abs. These are very small exercises that help to tone your body and noone even knows you’re doing them.
• Drink lots of water: Sometimes when you feel hungry you are actually just a bit dehydrated. Drinking water will help curb your appetite. Also, the first sign of dehydration is fatigue. You want to be full of energy so drink up!
• Use smaller plates: This way you can fill up your plate so it looks like a lot of food but you are actually eating smaller portions.

I hope these tips help you as much as they help me. Remember, we’re about abundance not deprivation. If you are starving yourself to lose weight, you are actually slowing down your metabolism which defeats the whole purpose. Watch your carbs but don’t eliminate them. You need carbs to fuel your brain and muscles. The reason why people lose weight with the no carb diet is because they are losing water from their muscles. It is a temporary and unhealthy way to lose weight.

Eat when you are hungry and get your body moving. These are the best choices for an enjoyable weight loss program.