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4 Keys to Weight LossIt is not just a matter of putting yourself on a diet and counting calories or carbs. There is a mindset, an attitude, that makes it possible to lose weight and keep weight off. If you are not ready to embrace the attitude, you might lose weight temporarily but it will be hard to maintain that new weight. Here are the 4 keys that will help you lose weight and keep it off. 1. Embrace Being Hungry The first of the 4 keys to weight loss is accepting that you will be hungry some of the time, and that’s okay. Many of us reach for food the moment that we get hungry. If we are dieting we dwell on the hunger and feel deprived that we can’t eat whatever we want to. But the truth is, slim people experience hunger most days for some period of time. Develop a rule that works for you. Can you maintain feeling hungry for at least half an hour before you reach for food? For one hour? No-one is suggesting that you starve yourself or maintain prolonged periods of hunger, that isn’t healthy, but to experience hunger coming on an hour before meals is normal and doesn’t mean you aren’t getting enough to eat. 2. Eat Only Food You Like The second of the 4 keys to weight loss is never eating anything that you don’t like. Think of it this way, would you walk into a store, pick up something that you don’t want, and pay for it at the checkout? We don’t usually do that because we have a finite income and we need to budget. Well, you have a finite number of calories that you can consume each day before you gain weight, so use your calorie budget wisely. It is amazing how many times we reach for food we don’t really want because it’s free, it comes with the meal, everybody else took one, or whatever. 3. Eat Only When You’re Hungry The third of the 4 keys to weight loss is never eat when you aren’t hungry. Hunger is the body’s way of telling you it needs food. The corollary to that is if you aren’t hungry, your body is telling you it doesn’t need food. If you eat when you aren’t hungry that food goes straight into storage. Fat storage. It doesn’t matter whether you are at a restaurant, at a friend’s house, or at a company lunch. If you find yourself in one of these situations and you are not hungry, don’t eat. If you must nibble, choose the lowest calorie food available, such as salad with no dressing or celery sticks. Resist the temptation to nibble on the chips, dip or the bread. 4. Don’t Clean Your Plate The fourth of the 4 keys to weight loss is don’t eat everything you are served. This is especially true if you eat in a restaurant. Restaurant meals can often exceed 1000 or even 2000 calories. One idea is to ask for ask for a box upfront. Put at least half of everything into it and only leave a reasonable portion on your plate. 3 or 4 ounces of meat is a very small portion, and the body cannot use more than 3 or 4 ounces of protein at once. Some studies show that the body can only use 2 ounces of protein at a time. The exact amount will depend on your age and your level of activity. The average portion of steak in a restaurant is well over 8 ounces, sometimes 10 or 12 ounces. So don’t eat it all. At home it is a good idea to invest in a dieter’s scale, and weigh food portions, especially meat and cheese, until you get a good feel for the amount you are eating. Once you understand and embrace the ideas behind these 4 keys to weight loss you will find it easier to make sustain weight loss as a way of life and hopefully stay healthy for a long time to come. Philip Kustner
The 4 Keys are a great addition to the 7 Habits of Weight Loss Back
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The
information found in and throughout The 7 Habits of Weight loss
(www.7habitsofweightloss.com) is not intended as a substitute for the
advice or treatment that may have been prescribed by your physician.Information
found here should NOT be construed as definitive or binding medical
advice and is NOT intended to diagnose, prescribe, nor endorse any
brand of products or services. Always seek the advice of your physician
or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new weight loss or exercise regimen or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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