Sunday, December 28, 2008

Slim Down Before Inauguration Day with These 8 Simple Steps

By Dorthy Weatherbush

How do you like the way you look? Are you satisfied with they way you present yourself to the rest of the world? Are you the confident person you know you can be or do avoid interacting with others simply because you feel uncomfortable and self conscious? Today is your lucky day because today you can make a choice that can change your destiny. If you are sick and tired of living a life of defeat, then you will want to listen up. Commit to the process of transforming your body today and before Obama takes the oath of office on January 20th, you'll feel and look like you've had a million dollar makeover.

To get started, you will have to force your body to do what you tell it to do and not let it do what it wants to do. This involves waking up early in the morning before the kids get up and forcing yourself to go for a brisk walk or run. The goal for you is to kick start your metabolism.

Next, you have got to eat breakfast. There is a reason that it is called the most important meal of the day. Just like the exercise starts your body off on the right track, so does fueling your system at the beginning of the day. You have got to give your body fuel so that it has energy to continue moving throughout the day.

You need to take a serious look at what you are putting into your body for fuel. Candy and soda may have the sugar in it for a quick jump-start, but it does not have the lasting nutrients that you need for energy. Make sure that you are enjoying a balanced diet that has lots of fruits and vegetables in it. These are lower in calories, but help your stomach to stay full.

You must also hydrate yourself, and that means drinking lots and lots of water. Water is really something that keeps your body in top operating condition. A trick is that if you are drinking any caffeinated free beverage then you can count that as water in your day.

Your next step is to count calories better than old Ebenezer Scrooge counted his pennies. By staying abreast on how many calories you are consuming each day, you are better able to plan meals an establish portion controls. The good news is that this doesn't mean you give up what you love to eat, rather it simply means you might it less of what you love eat.

The power of snacking is next on your agenda. It may sound crazy but the more times you eat, the better job your body will do at burning up those calories throughout the day. Your snacks don't have to be anything elaborate. In fact, I know of someone who brings to work a small back of dry Cheerios to snack on throughout the day.

Keep a diary of everything you eat. I would also encourage you to document the time of day in which you eat as well. You will likely find an interesting pattern. The key though is that you can not correct what you do not know exists. This daily eating diary will serve a starting point from where you will grow.

Finally, you need to keep your motivation going strong. One of the biggest weight loss pitfalls is that your motivation can wane. Find ways to keep yourself enthusiastic about the positive lifestyle changes that you are taking on. By doing this, you are guaranteed to see a newer slimmer you by inauguration day! - 16003

About the Author: