Sunday, December 03, 2006

Target: Losing 10 Pounds in 2007

For many people, the most popular New Year resolution is to lose weight. If you are targeting to shed 10 pounds in 2007, here are 20 tips to help you achieve it. Some times simple changes can bring about big results. When it comes to losing weight, more often than not it is all about numbers. The key is to make small changes that are reasonable, achievable and realistic to maintain. Over the course of a year a small change can add up to 5, 10 or even 15 pounds. Here is a list drawn with the help of health experts on 20 ways to lose 10 pounds in 2007.

1. Switch from whole-milk product to skim-milk product. If you consume 3 servings a day, you can save up to 200 calories a day. That’s 20 pounds you can lose next year.

2. When you go to a restaurant, ask for half of your portion into a doggie bag straight away. Even if you go only go out twice a week, you will easily save enough calories to lose 10 pounds a year.

3. Reduce the use of butter and margarine. Use apple sauce in recipes instead of oil. Try fat free, butter flavored spreads or sprinkles. Just eliminating a pat of butter on your morning toast will let you drop 10 pounds.

4. Chill soups, gravies and stews, then skim off the fat that floats. Doing this can save you up to 100 calories per serving.

5. Use extra lean pound beef, ground chicken or ground turkey. Buy beef labeled “select” instead of “choice” or “prime” (select meats have less fat)

6. Is a tall glass of juice is your morning ritual? Slap that 20 OZ OJ for a real orange and you not only save more than 100 calories, you also get a fiber while you are at it.

7. Meatless products, such as imitation hotdogs, burgers and sausage, are available at many grocery stores. They often have the half the calories as their meat counterparts.

8. Switch from a 10 OZ cappuccino to a regular coffee with artificial sweetener and you can save over 10 pounds a year.

9. Switch from fried potato chips to baked ones and save 90 calories. Do this everyday, that’s your 10 pounds.

10. Learn how to add 10 minutes of exercise a day. The goal is 30 minutes a day. If you walk for just 30 minutes - even just three 10 minute walks per day – you will lose 13 pounds a year.

11. Cut back on egg yolks. It’s the yolk that contains virtually all the fat and cholesterol. Or, in most recipes, you can use 2 egg whites instead of one whole egg.

12. If you love microwave popcorn, just switch to the light kind. Enough to lose 10 pounds if you eat it every night.

13. Use sugar substitute instead of sugar in all your baking. If you use a couple of teaspoons in your iced tea, a couple on your morning cereal, you could easily lose 10 pounds by switching to a substitute.

14. Switch from 100 pulse calorie sandwich bread to the light whole wheat bread. You save 100 calories per sandwich, and you get the benefit of the good whole grains.

15. Swap out your cheese.. Replace the cheddar or American cheese on your sandwich with once ounce of mozzarella and lose 11 pounds next year.

16. Switch from 2 tablespoons of regular mayonnaise to 2 tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise on that sandwich.

17. Take the stairs everyday at work. If you go up and down often enough (say up and down 5 flights 3 or 4 times a day) you got your 100 calories. Remove the skin from the chicken breast after cooking and save 100 calories each time.

18. Instead of topping ice cream with crumbled cookies or hot fudge, top it with fresh berries and save 100 calories.

19. forgo regular bottled salad dressing (2 tablespoons, about 150 calories) for an equal portion of fat free dressing (about 10 calories).saves at least 100 calories.

20. Don’t super size anything.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's a good list you have for losing weight. I am in the process of losing 23 pounds over the next 13 months. I have already gotten rid of cheese. Am working on NOT hitting the pantry for an extra snack after dinner.