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Are There Easy Things To Do To Lose Weight This Month?

Updated 3/29/2022

I originally wrote this article in 2020. Since that time so much has changed for me as far as nutrition and exercise so I wanted to update. Today at 60, many of these tips still apply but I have a few more to add which you will find at the bottom.

Losing weight. After 50, sometimes after 40, we women notice a shift in our bodies. I noticed this shift following my hysterectomy. Seemed like my metabolism had flown the coop – or my at least my body. Seriously? Why has it become so flipping hard to lose weight in my 50’s?

And therein lies the key to our lack of success. We obsess. We look at every morsel we put in our mouths. If the scale ticks up so much as 1/10 of a pound, we are depressed for the rest of the day.

But guess what happens when you tell yourself you will EASILY reach your weight goals instead of focusing on losing weight? That you will focus on making little changes that will push you toward reaching your goal? You shift the way your brain views things.

Your brain works toward REACHING your goals instead of focusing on what you perceive as failures. (Yes I am a firm believer in the Law of Attraction and keep a positive mindset on every facet of my life. Trust me. It’s even in the bible: “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” – Matthew 7:7)

I am a glass half full type of gal even when it comes to my health. Since my hysterectomy, I’ve looked for many quick fixes to shed my belly fat. I’ve tried fasting. I’ve tried counting points. I’ve tried pills. I’ve tried keto. Every lotion, potion or pill, I’ve tried it. Guess what happens EVERY SINGLE TIME? I lose a few pounds then end up gaining back MORE than what I lost.

What does work? Baby steps. Every single day. Focusing on 5 simple steps. When you stumble? Let it go and get back on track with your next meal and make sure you drink your water and move. That’s it. Ready? Let’s do this!

1. Eat a fruit or vegetable FIRST at every meal.  For breakfast, I put a fruit in my meal replacement shake.  At lunch, I usually eat a salad before my soup or sandwich.  At dinner, again the first thing I eat is a salad or possibly a vegetable appetizer like roasted brussel sprouts.  Resolution 1 – eat a fruit or vegetable FIRST at ever meal.
2. Eat 3 meals per day high in protein low in carbs. Be sure to read this next: Are Carbs Making Me Fat.  Okay this may be a tough one for many to wrap their brains around as we have been programmed lately to eat every 2 hours or so.  Yes that works for many, HOWEVER, it does not work for me or my lifestyle.  I have gone back to basics eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the scale is showing results. Resolution 2 – eat 3 meals per day.
3. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces in water.  If you weight 180 pounds, you MUST drink 90 ounces of water every day. There is NO EXCEPTION to this resolution. Resolution 3 – drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day.
4. Exercise 3 times per week.  I recommend 2 – 3 high intensity interval training programs and 1 gentle flow yoga session. Resolution 4 – exercise 3 times per week.
5. Weigh yourself.  You will not know how far you’ve come if you don’t know where you started. Resolution 5 – weigh yourself once or twice a week. Scales provide so much information. This is the one I use and love: Smart Digital Scale

Additional Easy Things To Do To Lose Weight This Month:

All of the tips above still apply but in the past two years, I’ve added these tips also

• On days I’m home, I fast in the morning. I can’t do this on days I’m teaching my classes as one of my classes is intense. On the other days however, I won’t eat until noon. I have my coffee and get a jump start on my water.
• Water. Again back to water. In addition to drinking water throughout the day, I drink a full glass before my meals.
• Cut back on portions and meals. Again as mentioned above, I eat 3 meals per day BUT I’ve significanly cut back on portion sizes. Heavy on my plate is protein and vegetables.
• No evening snacking. This was a bit tough for me as I like to have something to munch on when I’m unwinding from the day. If I do feel peckish, I turn to popcorn. It’s a snack I enjoy and it is just enough to take the edge off.

Today. Make the commitment to do one of the above. Just one. That’s where you start. You CAN do this.