| With obesity on the rise in the United States it | | | | If you consume more calories than you burn off, |
| seems that everyone is looking for ways to lose | | | | you WILL gain weight. If you burn off more |
| weight or keep the weight off in the first place | | | | calories than you consume, you WILL lose weight. |
| (an ultimately superior method). There really are | | | | Increasing your activity levels will decrease your |
| simple and easy ways to manage your weight | | | | weight, even if you don't change your diet. Now, |
| and I am happy to share them with you. The first | | | | this doesn't mean that you have to go join a gym |
| thing to understand is that even though these | | | | or a yoga studio. The best type of exercise is |
| methods are simple and easy, they do require | | | | anything that you enjoy doing that also increases |
| that you make some changes. Realize that these | | | | your heart rate. Talk a walk around your |
| changes are only as difficult as you make them. It | | | | neighborhood. Ride a bike. Use those dusty in-line |
| is easy to think to yourself, "I just can't make | | | | skates. Go swimming. Play with the kids. (you get |
| that kind of change because... "I work too many | | | | the idea.) You are much more likely to stick with |
| hours..." "I have to take the kids to soccer | | | | something that you enjoy doing. So get out there |
| practice..." "I'm stuck in my own way of doing | | | | and do it. |
| things..." but Albert Einstein defined insanity as | | | | > Increasing activity levels and decreasing calories |
| doing the same thing over and over and | | | | will exponentially increase your weight loss! Want |
| expecting different results. This applies to weight | | | | to take the bullet train? Increase your activity |
| loss in so much as we can't continue to overeat | | | | levels AND get rid of those unhealthy foods. The |
| unhealthy, high calorie, nutrient deficient foods and | | | | American diet is laden with processed foods. |
| expect that we are going to lose weight. Now | | | | These food are nutritionally deficient and packed |
| that you understand that you need to make a | | | | with chemicals that alter your metabolism. So, |
| change in order to get different results, let me | | | | stop eating them! Again, gradually. Pick something |
| explain a simple and easy way to get it done. | | | | that you know you shouldn't be eating and replace |
| > Make small changes, gradually. - Did you ever | | | | it with a locally grown, organic fruit or vegetable. |
| stop to think that one small change per week | | | | Just one thing this first week. Pick another next |
| adds up to 52 changes per year? How far can | | | | week. Start cutting the processed foods out of |
| you get with something if you work at in weekly | | | | your diet. The goal is to get to where you are |
| increments for 52 weeks? In the following points, | | | | shopping the perimeter of your grocery store |
| I'm going to suggest that you cut some | | | | (the foods that are refrigerated) the aisles are |
| unhealthy, weight increasing things from your diet | | | | packed with unhealthy foods, processed to the |
| and replace them with healthier foods. Don't try | | | | point that they won't spoil at room temperature. |
| to do this all at once. Choose one food and one | | | | Even better, do most of your grocery shopping |
| replacement each week. Or even one per month, | | | | at a local Farmer's Market. |
| you'll still make a great deal of headway over the | | | | > Exercise with friends. The best way to stick |
| year and your weight loss will be permanent as | | | | with something? Get others involved. Create fun |
| opposed to temporary. This applies to the | | | | activities for family and friends. Activities that get |
| increased activity levels that I'll discuss next. | | | | you up and moving. Instead of going to |
| > Weight loss or gain adheres to a simple formula. | | | | Starbucks, go to a local park and walk or hike. |