6 Small Diet Changes Can Add Up to Big Losses
It's amazing how just a handful of small changes to everyday habits can add up to big rewards. For one thing, when you try to make too many changes at once, you run the risk of ... if you'll excuse the pun... biting off more than you can chew. And, I think that once you're successful at making a change - no matter how small - it gives you the confidence to keep going, and to keep chipping away at new challenges. On top of that, just a handful of small changes to your everyday habits can add up to bigger reward than you might think.
Here's a way to look at it. Think of the changes you're going to make in your lifestyle as an investment. You can use blend of strategies that are more likely to give you the results you're after, even though it may take a little longer. So when you're investing in your health for the long term, slow and steady usually wins the race.
When you take a closer look at the foods you routinely eat - and your everyday exercise patterns - it's amazing how a little fine tuning can add up to big rewards. Here are some recent changes I worked out with my clients - enough to lead to the loss of 30 kilos in a year:
- Add 20 extra minutes to daily exercise - it could be an additional 20 minutes of brisk walking in the morning, or a second walk later in the day. The extra 100 calories burned per day could mean 4-5 kilos lighter at the end of a year.
- If your usual breakfast five days a week is a coffee drink and a bagel with cream cheese, a switch to a protein shake will shave off about 250 calories a day - enough to drop more than 8-10 kilos in a year.
- A healthy habit of eating salad about 7 times a week is a bit counterproductive if the greens are drenched in dressing. Reducing the amount of salad dressing from three tablespoons to one will lead to savings of more than 1000 calories a week - and the loss of about 5-7 kilos in a year.
- About three times a week, instead of having a candy bar as an afternoon pick-me-up, have a small protein bar and a cup of tea instead. You could be cutting as much as 600 calories a week - enough to shed nearly 4 kilos in a year.
- Sandwiches are eaten 5 times a week on average and always include a slice of cheese. Lose the cheese and replace with veggies, and save 500 calories a week. Another 3 kilos could be lost in a year with this one change.
- Dessert is eaten six times a week - usually cookies or ice cream, to the tune of about 200 calories. Swap for a piece of fruit, and cut enough calories to lose another 4-5 kilos in a year.