top five weight loss tips

Virtually every woman’s magazine and ad on the right-hand side of your Facebook page advertises a quick slim-down “solution,” sure fire ways to melt the fat in… ONE week?  10 DAYS?  Nuh uh.  I’ll relate my weight loss story another time (size 14 to size 6!)… but, it started with a conscious decision to change my thinking around eating.

First of all — don’t expect a quick weight or body shape change ever.  You need a good 6-8 weeks of good eating and exercise…also gives you time to create a routine and good habits.  I have a few strategies to get you started – they are not profound and it’s nothing you haven’t read before, but if nothing else, these tips can get you going down the right path.

Here are DeirdreSpeak’s weight loss Top 5:

1. Drink H2O – aside from the hydration and cleansing benefits, drinking water keeps you away from sugary drinks and curbs your appetite.  Snacking (on junk food) is a huge weakness for me; water fills me up, keeps me satisfied until the next meal.
2. Become calorie conscious – this was something I never wanted to do — I couldn’t be bothered because it seemed like a hassle to calculate calories for everything I ate.  But, try becoming calorie conscious – simply flip over the packaging on whatever it is you’re about to eat and make a mental note of the calories per serving.  Your goal is approximately 2000 calories per day (I’ll talk to you about good, bad, and ugly calories later)
3. Reduce or better yet, eliminate simple carbohydrates – sugar, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice.  These foods break down quickly, and in the absence of high intensity exercise, get stored as fat.  Limit high GI fruit & vegetables (check the glycemic index website for a list).  Use a zero calorie sugar substitute such as Splenda.
4. Take small bites – you’ll send your brain the appropriate message about how full you really are.  If you eat too much too fast, your brain won’t realize you’re full until you’ve consumed twice the calories you should have.
5. Run or walk – I’m a firm believer in high intensity cardio coupled with a good weight training routine to really axe those pounds.  Customize with any other physical activity you want: yoga, pilates, swimming, hip hop dance, etc.  My best combo was ballet + running + weight training.  But, as a mom with limited time and a lapsed gym membership, a regular run (20 minutes, 3-4 times a week is great!) or long walk.

I want to talk about food as fat burning fuel – but, that’s another blog.

• Valeria Mazza
• Камерон Диас (Cameron Diaz)