weight gain over time

I read this article titled "No love handles now? Give it a few years." It starts out just fine, acknowledging that most Americans will gain 1 to 2 lbs. each year as they progress through adulthood. They go on to say that studies show that eating healthy and exercising can help prevent it. THANKS FOR THE NEWS FLASH! Because without that bit of info, I would have continued to eat like crap and wonder why I'm gaining weight. If you happen to make it through the entire article, you'll see there are actually a few tips in there worth mentioning and below a few of my own.

- make small gradual changes that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine. If you're going to fast food joints a few times a week, pick one day a week to do something differently. Or if you feel like you're eating too much meat, eat one non-meat meal per week.

- brown bag it. When you make your own lunch, you can keep better track of your calorie intake and can incorporate more nutritious foods.

- indulge. Yep, that's counterintuitive. Let me qualify that by saying - all in moderation. If you're looking for something sweet, don't deprive yourself but limit it to a single portion size. I'm constantly trying to figure out how I can have that extra goodie and still be good.

- do something every day. walk, situps, pushups, use the stairs, something, anything. Got 10 minutes? If you're saying no, then wake up 10 minutes earlier.

- drink lots of water. Not only will it keep you hydrated, it helps your whole body function better.

There's no need to live through one boring meal after another. You can enjoy and indulge without overdoing it.

*k*