Top 7 Tips To Stay In Shape

Sometimes it's the little things that trip you on your path to your healthiest, most ideal weight. Avoid these pitfalls by backing up your weight-loss plan with these 7 helpful tips.

1. Make a smooth start
   
   Stress can wreck your best intentions. So if you are starting a new job, getting a divorce, or there has been a recent death in your family, you might need to delay your plan. Give yourself more time to simply follow good eating habits without trying to lose. Then, when the stress has eased, you’ll be ready to start cutting back on calories.
   
   
2. Take your time
   
   Chew slowly and put down your fork between bites. Your brain needs 20 minutes to get the message your hunger is satisfied.
   
   
3. Calm down before you chow down
   
   Don’t turn to food to relieve tensions. If you are having a stressful day, go for a walk, meditate, or listen to soothing music to calm yourself before eating. You’ll be less likely to overindulge.
   
   
4. Visualize success
   
   Relax and use imagery each day to get a feel for victory. See yourself, having already reached your goal, slipping into a smaller-sized outfit. Or imagine feeling proud as you step on your bathroom scale and see the numbers. Pretending it’s already true enlists the support of your subconscious mind to make it really happen.
   
   
5. Juice your way to a slim, trim figure
   
   Delicious, vitamin-filled orange juice – or another fructose-rich juice – may be the perfect appetizer for anyone trying to lose weight. Stir in a little pectin, which is used to thicken jams and jellies, and you may reduce your appetite even more.
   
   
6. Take up a new – or rediscover an old - hobby
   
   Choose a pastime like knitting or cross-stitching. Hook a rug, put a puzzle together, or place family photos in an album. Not only will you keep your hands too busy to reach for a snack, you’ll also get the satisfaction of completing a task.
   
   
7. Read the labels
   
   You’ll learn a lot by reading the information on packages in the store. Better yet, many companies provide nutrition data – including calories – online. So surf for the facts before you make your shopping list.

Raymond Lee's newest ebook, Neck Exercises and Workouts, is now available online. Mr. Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is the Founder of Bodyfixes.com specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. Don't forget to subscribe to his minicourse "15 Techniques & Tips Quickly Eliminate Neck Pain."