Something we do or do not do has caused us to be where we are now. We must admit we have consciously or unconsciously developed behaviors that support our “heavy” life style. Usually the additions or omissions are not health based choices. We can have it all. We can be healthy and slim if we change a few eating and living patterns we have acquired over the years. Let’s look back to when we were slimmer. Were we more active? Did we eat out less? Remembering our past can give us ideas on how to direct our future. Taking one step at a time we can alter our behaviors. It is usually too overwhelming to try to change everything at once. If we walked a half hour to and from bus stops when we were thinner we need to put that walking back into our day. Take out the donut and coffee in the morning. Replace with a low fat, smart carbs or real food snacks. Every few days add in a bit more activity and take out a high cal food and replace with the whole grain or wholesome version. This may not help our jeans button for the Fri. party but it will help them button in a month or two. There will also be changes you can’t see on the outside. You will be taking steps to lower risks from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and hypertension. Dr.’s are warning us that our lifestyles are bringing these maladies to us at an earlier and earlier age. Let’s reverse that as well.

When will this weight go away? When did this weight come? It probably came an ounce here, a pound there until you couldn’t hide it anymore. Be realistic and set a time loss goal that allows you to incorporate your new thin thinking behaviors into your everyday life. As healthy behaviors replace the weight gaining behaviors less thought will go into losing and more into living.

Try these easy steps to a thinner healthier you.

1, Never go hungry! Do not skip meals. Better yet, add three small meals (not junk food) mid morning, mid afternoon and early evening. Eating too close to retiring does not give the body time to use the calories and they will be put into storage; hip and thigh storage.

2, Always start your engine with good fuel. A morning started with healthy nutrients will kick start your metabolism and keep you energized all day. Morning foods break your sleep time fast but do not need to be “breakfast” food. Enjoy any healthy foods and avoid fats, sugars and sodium in excess.

3, Eat smaller meals. By down sizing your plate you can fill it and eat it clean while you are in fact eating less but not being emotionally deprived by looking at skimpy servings on a large plate. Frequent meals provide a steady fuel supply and never let the munchies hit as hunger is no longer taking control. The end result is a slow steady calorie burn, the kind that makes a withdrawl not a deposit to your body’s storage areas.

4’ Choose the amount of weight you want to lose. Match your desired loss and the level of calorie reduction needed to get there. Your Dr’ can help with this as you decide on your new level of food consumption. Give yourself time to adjust. Expect to slip up and praise yourself if you don’t. Remember fresh foods, low fat choices, whole grains and your desire to be healthy and thin.

5’ Drink lots of water. Water aids in the fat burning process and keeps cells hydrated.

6’ Avoid excesses. Sugars and salt need to be restricted to healthful levels.

7’ Watch your fat intake. Avoid trans fats, use olive, peanut, or canola oils. Trim meat. Include heart healthy omega 3’s.

8’ Exercise. Leave the car and walk if you can. Park at the wrong end of the lot, clime stairs, walk fido, play with your kids and keep moving. Join a gym; get an exercise buddy. Be consistent, realistic and patient and you will be successful!

First, avoid the alcohol. The cocktails served at holiday parties can be full of calories, and when we drink we have a decreased will power when it comes to holiday foods. They also stimulate our appetites and will cause us to eat more than we normally would at a party. Having one drink to celebrate a special occasion is fine as long as we don’t over do it every time we go out to celebrate the season.

Another great tip to help stick to your plan over the holiday season is to show up after you have already eaten a full meal, this will reduce the amount of snacking you do at the party.

Use the holidays to get outside when the weather allows. Playing in the snow, climbing the hill for sledding, and snow ball fights are great for getting your heart pumping and burning off the calories from those candy canes.

If the weather outside isn’t cold or snowy, head to the mall for a little gift shopping. Make a number of laps around the mall and take the stairs instead of the escalators. Keep this in mind at parties as well, get up and move around as much as possible. Christmas caroling is another great activity that gets you out moving around and you can also spread some holiday cheer.

Lastly, avoid gifts of food. Of course you can’t tell people what to buy for you but if you find yourself with a lot of chocolates and brownies, share the love, take these things into work or with unopened items donate them to a local food bank. Even though these tips don’t sound like much they will help you stay slim even as you are surrounded by goodies through out the holidays.

Before you embark on your program, you too need to have an end in mind. You need to have a destination, an arrival point. In other words, what weight will you finally arrive at? We discuss here…