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10 ways to lose weight and not diet.

So, if you're ready to start losing weight and want to learn how to not only lose but to keep it off for life, I have good news.

After 20 years of yo-yo dieting, I finally get it!  I understand how to lose weight without dieting.  Learning this has taken the pressure of me - that burden of feeling "I should lose weight".  I have learnt to eat healthily, move more and make small changes to my lifestyle to not only lose weight but to manage that weight loss for the past 3 years.

So, if you're ready to start losing weight and want to learn how to not only lose but to keep it off for life, I have good news. You can make a few "painless" changes to your everyday eating that will help you eat less, eat smarter, and lose weight!

1. Don't drink your calories.

Do you start each morning with a couple glasses of orange juice? How about a frothy coffee drink on the way to work? Was that you hitting the vending machine for a sports drink at the gym?

If this sounds familiar, take note: What you drink can be as important to weight loss as what you eat.

Some beverages provide as many -- if not more -- calories than a full plate of food. Liquid calories don't satisfy you like food does, and many beverages bring no nutrition benefit. Even if you were to drink 1,500 calories of beverages a day, you would still feel hungry and then overeat.  

To save "empty calories", choose herbal tea, or coffee or tea with skimmed milk (swap from full-fat or semi-skimmed), diet flavoured-water, bottled or tap water with a spritz of lemon or lime, or lite fizzy drinks. If none of those better choices suits you, allow yourself one glass of the "real thing" and drink only water thereafter. (Tip: Ask for extra ice in that first glass of soda and you will drink less.) By stopping at one glass, you will save yourself hundreds -- or even thousands -- of "empty calories".

While juice is healthier than all these choices, whole fruit is preferable to a glass of juice; it has fewer calories, more fibre and is more filling.

2. Always eat breakfast.

Taking the time to eat could prevent costly mistakes as the day progresses; skipping this important morning meal can lead to an out of control afternoon appetite, oversized portions, poor food choices, and overeating, even later on into the night. Plus, going too long without eating may cause your metabolism to slow down. If you can't eat first thing in the morning, a healthful, mid-morning snack is a good idea. If you are not hungry in the morning, take a first step to change this habit and have a fruit juice, yoghurt or some other light option to help you get started.  

3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

You hear it all the time, but you really do need to work in those recommended six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Thirst can easily be mistaken for hunger, so you could be reaching for food when you are actually thirsty. Eating water-rich foods like fruit, stews, soups will help you stay well-hydrated, too. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink; try sipping water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

4. Add at least one more serving of fruit and veg to as many meals as possible.

Veggies and fruit are all nutrient-rich, low-cal and filling -- just be careful of creamy dips or dressings, butter, cheese sauce, and fried vegetables. Salsa, soups, and pasta sauce are easy ways to work in even more vegetable servings. Keep the skin on fresh produce, such as apples, whenever possible as it contains more fibre. Remember, fibre takes a while to digest so you feel fuller longer after eating it, which will help you eat less in the long run.

5. Make a salad your starter.

Having a salad before your meal will almost certainly prevent you from overeating. Load up all the veggies you like, but just be careful about adding high-fat extras such as pasta salads, cheese or cream-based dressings. (Tip: Spray dressings are excellent for cutting calories or make your own lite option with virgin olive oil, wholegrain mustard and red wine vinegar). Prepackaged, washed salads make it easy to add a salad to any meal without extra effort. Most fast food restaurants offer a reasonably-priced side salad, or some menus offer the option to substitute salad for another side item when purchasing a "combo" or "value" meal.

6. Go for grains.

Whole grains will help you feel full longer than refined carbohydrates. In the morning, fibre-rich cereal like Kellog's All-Bran, is a good choice, as is oatmeal. Brown rice, whole grain bread, and whole wheat crackers, are all good ways to include grains in your day: A slice of whole wheat bread goes well with a salad; microwavable, single-serving brown rice is easy to add to lunch at the office; keep wheat crackers stored in your desk drawer for when the afternoon munchies strike.

7. Always keep healthy frozen meals on hand.

They will be a backup plan for nights when you don't have time to prepare and cook a healthy meal. Plan ahead when cooking so that you make double what you need and freeze half for the days when time is tight or alternatively buy a ready meal but choose the lower fat options (less than 3g of fat per 100g). (Tip: Even some of the healthier frozen meal choices are skimpy on veggies, so be sure to add a packaged salad or a microwavable, single-serving frozen vegetable to your "instant meal" to better round it out).  

8. Choose foods that will help you feel satisfied longer.

While both protein and fat help you feel sated longer than simple carbohydrates, protein naturally contains fewer calories per ounce than fat. Eggs, lean meats, skinless poultry, and reduced-fat dairy products are ideal protein sources. A snack like yogurt, a boiled egg, string cheese or turkey slices will give you an energy boost and quell hunger pangs. Whole grains also contain protein, so you may find combining an animal or dairy protein with a complex carb such as whole wheat crackers or whole grain bread to be even more effective at keeping your energy up and hunger down. If you don't eat meat or dairy, there are also several other sources of protein, such as beans, and nuts.

9. Catch some "Zs."

Did you know getting enough rest can have a direct impact on your ability to lose weight? Not getting enough sleep can cause you to eat more often or make poor choices (In an effort to compensate for feeling groggy, we tend to naturally reach for higher-calorie, high-fat foods.). Getting enough sleep also ensures that you feel energized enough to exercise and that you work out to your fullest capacity when you do. Even if you can't add additional sleeping hours, take some time to simply do nothing, practice deep breathing, read, or listen to some calming music every day. Making a point to relax more can keep emotional eating -- particularly stress-eating -- at bay.

10. Think Positively. 

Finally, focus on the positive changes you are making toward a healthier lifestyle - you are not dieting!, you are making small changes to eat healthier and lose weight.

Information provided by Annette Bray - www.stuffthediet.net