Trying to lose 10 pounds? You may encounter some challenges along the way, as it can be hard to lose weight consistently without yo-yo-ing, but, it is possible if you make lifestyle changes that you're able to stick with.
And you don't have to completely overhaul your life, either. Targeting a few important areas, such as certain diet choices and hydration, you might find that it's not as hard as you'd think to drop some weight. These are my top tips for losing 10 pounds.
1. Start your day with water and continue drinking it all day.
Many people confuse thirst for hunger — especially when that 3 p.m. slump kicks in — so drinking more water throughout the day can help you keep your energy up without eating more. The goal should be to drink about 64 ounces of water a day, but some people may need more.
Plus, if you drink a big glass of water in the morning, it can help you frame your mindset for the day around your health goals. Being hydrated makes it easier to hit the gym and squeeze in a few extra steps throughout the day, and make more nutritious food choices for breakfast. And it can help keep your bowel movements regular.
2. Make protein a priority.
Protein is known to help you feel more satisfied and full for longer, so it's a great way to help yourself to eat less (and therefore lose weight). As a nutrient in the body, it helps build muscle and with blood clotting, and works in tandem with hormones that control hunger and how quickly food leaves your stomach. It also burns more calories when it's being digested than carbs or fat.
Loading up on protein at breakfast can make you feel more satisfied for the rest of the day and even keep cravings at bay at night. You may notice that on days where you eat less protein in the morning, you eat more snacks later in the day.
These high protein breakfast ideas can get you started on your weight loss journey.
3. Eat your greens.
Green veggies get five gold stars. They are packed with fiber and water volume, both of which help you to stay full and regular. They're also loaded with antioxidants which help fight disease and inflammation, and, of course, they’re low in calories.
Fighting inflammation with antioxidants can aid in weight loss. Foods that are high in the antioxidants vitamin C, E and beta carotene may help reduce fat storage by regulating your body's use of the hormone insulin. Greens are an excellent source, but you can also find these compounds in citrus fruits, almonds and sweet potatoes.
My favorite greens are broccoli rabe and spinach, and I recommend getting in greens at least twice a day. During meals, fill up on greens first, and you’ll find that you naturally begin to eat less of the perhaps more "unhealthy" parts of your plate.
4. Make fat your BFF.
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat (overeating anything of course will cause you to gain weight). Actually, it can help make you thin. Fat tastes good and helps to keep you satisfied. It also helps you burn fat by taking fat out of your cells, so you can use it for energy.
As with any food, portion control is key, but be sure to get fat in consistently throughout the day (about 30% of your calories should come from fat). Instead of having a big apple for a snack, have a small apple with two teaspoons of almond butter. And, instead of sugar-laden, fat-free salad dressing go for olive oil and vinegar mixed with herbs and spices.
5. Listen to your body.
Listening to your body is key when it comes to losing weight. Focusing on whole, real foods packed with protein, healthy fat, fiber and antioxidants is crucial (and I’d rather you overeat these foods than chips and dip, and cupcakes) but learning how much to eat by listening to your body is going to be key when it comes to losing weight.
I teach my clients to rate their hunger using the "hunger quotient." This is the number (related to a feeling) to describe how hungry you truly are. You want to aim to be between a 6 and a 4 at the beginning and end of your meals and snacks. A 6 is “slightly hungry” and a 4 is “slightly satisfied.” When meals and snacks are skipped during the day, HQ gets thrown off and it is easy to end up making poor food choices and overeating.
6. End your night with meditation.
Stress affects every aspect of your health, including your weight. Even exercise probably won’t do the trick if stress is throwing your hormones out of whack. Prolonged excess stress not only causes an imbalance in your hormones which leads to weight in the mid-section, but it also increases free radicals (think inflammation), and it can increase emotional eating.
Managing your stress can have a huge effect on your weight-loss efforts. Meditation, even if for five minutes, has been shown to reduce anxiety with every session practiced. So while adding a new fitness routine is vital to your weight-loss goals and chugging water is too, add a stress management tool for maximum effectiveness.
