10 Easy ways to Cut Calories

1. Read labels before you buy

You'll be astounded at how many calories some foods contain. Don't just check out the amount per 1oz or per 100g but the amount the whole package contains and think about how much of it you would normally eat. Then decide whether to leave it on the shelves or take it home to add to your waistline.

2. Use low fat dairy foods

Choosing low fat does not always reduce calories. Many foods are pumped with sugar or thickeners to make up for the lack of fat. However, low fat dairy products do usually offer substantial calorie reduction over their full-fat counterparts and, with most, there is little difference in taste or texture. This was not always the case. If it's a while since you tried low fat cheese for example you'll find it much improved!

3. Eat more vegetables

Instead of making meat the main event in your meal pile your plate high with veggies or salad. In general you should be looking to fill at least half your plate with these. Add vegetables to soups and stews to increase bulk without adding much to the calorie count. Stir fries and curries are also great for making a little meat and a lot of vegetables into a delicious meal.

4. Watch your portion sizes

Take note of the serving size on packaging and follow the guidelines by measuring out your food. Take care especially with snack foods and baked goods. Take a serving size out of the packet and put the rest away. For home cooked meals, a piece of meat should be about the size of a standard deck of cards not half an ox and a meal (excluding any separate servings of vegetables or salad) should be about the size of two clenched fists. You can always have more veggies if that doesn't fill you up.

5. Eat at home

Restaurants and fast food places make it their business to get you to eat more food than you really need. That's how they make their money after all. Instead, eat fast simple food at home. You can control what you serve. You can control how you prepare it. You can control your portion sizes. When you eat at home you choose exactly what and how much you eat.

6. When you do go out

Choose restaurants which serve healthy food and choose the healthiest dishes you can find on the menu or ask for something healthy to be prepared for you. You can request a smaller portion or a kid's size or eat a couple of starters instead of a massive main course. Choose dishes prepared under the grill and with tomato-based rather than cream-based sauces. If you must have something sweet after your meal have coffee and a chocolate or two in place of dessert.

7. Cut down on alcohol

There are a huge number empty calories in alcoholic drinks. If you drink a lot it can really pile on the pounds. And then as often as not you'll end up snacking on peanuts or other high calorie nibbles along with your drink. A huge added danger with alcohol is that it lowers your inhibitions, mysteriously dissolving your willpower and making healthy eating the last thing on your mind.

8. Choose your snacks with care

It makes sense to eat something about every three hours so that you don't get too hungry and make poor food choices at meals, grabbing a hamburger and fries because you let yourself go too long without eating. But choose your snacks wisely because those calories can mount up. It's best to snack on fruit or chopped vegetables if you can or maybe a cracker or two and not overload on calories with potato snacks and chocolate.

9. Cooking not baking

There's nothing like a baking session for piling on the pounds is there? Because you never bake just for others or eat just one serving do you? Turn your culinary talents to serving up delicious healthy main meals instead. Take pride in your fantastic lunches and dinners and not in your double-choc chip cookie recipe.

10. Plan your food

Use low-calorie and healthy cookbooks to plan your food with care each week before you go shopping. You'll be less tempted by food you don't need in the shops if you have a list and as you'll know exactly what's for dinner each evening, you won't ever have to send out for pizza!

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

Top Ten Excuse-busters for taking Exercise

1. Exercise is boring

Not all exercise is created equal. You don't have to get fit by spending hours on soul-less machines down at the gym. Somewhere out there is an activity you'll love and it's just a case of looking around until you find it. Is there something you loved to do as a child which you've stopped doing now you're an adult? Take it up again! Is there something you'd love to do but just haven't got around to? Try it out! How about taking up tennis or golf, salsa-dancing or skiing? Find something that sparks your enthusiasm and you'll never look back.

2. I don't have time

This is the excuse people give most of all for not exercising. Yet everyone has the same number of hours in the day. We just choose to spend them differently. What are you giving a higher priority to than your health? Chatting on the phone? Watching TV? Working too many hours? Even if your time is largely tied up in caring for others, how much good will you be to them without your health? And can you really not squeeze in three 20 minute sessions a week? What are you doing that is so important?

3. I don't have the energy

Your energy may be low because you are mentally rather than physically tired and in that case exercise will actually give you a boost. You'll usually find if you just get up and get moving you'll feel more energetic than ever. So, provided you're not tired after a hard physical day of work, just get moving to start to feel more lively. In any case, with regular exercise you'll find your general energy levels will soar and you'll be able to do far more without feeling tired.

4. I feel too embarrassed

If you're embarrassed about being seen exercising or wearing exercise gear then try walking. It's the ultimate non-exercise exercise. You can do it anywhere and you don't need to wear any special clothes other than normal comfortable shoes. Alternatively get some exercise videos and exercise in the comfort of your own home.

5. I'm too fat

Now there's a difference between being embarrassed about your size and being physically incapable of moving. If you really are unable to take normal exercise because of your size and associated problems then speak to your doctor about getting some help to find exercises you CAN do. Also there is some information around to help. Look up the organisation called Active at any Size on the web. They promote fitness for everyone. Anything you can do will help you and as you lose weight you'll gradually find you're able to do more.

6. I've got two left feet

I swear some aerobics classes are designed to put people off exercise for life. You just get used to one part of the routine after spending your time bumping into people when the movement changes to something else equally as complicated and you find you've gone left when you should go right again. It does get better if you keep going to the same class but if you hate that feeling of always getting it wrong why not find an activity for the less choreographically challenged. How about the easy-to-learn repetitive movements of rebounding, swimming or cycling?

7. There's nowhere near here to exercise

Sometimes that trip to the gym or swimming pool is a journey too far. It just eats up too much time from your day. If this puts you off getting fit, you can look for somewhere to exercise that's more convenient for your home or workplace. Or follow the advice for the embarrassed exercisers above and take up walking or exercising with videos or equipment at home. Jogging might suit you too.

8. Exercise doesn't work

Exercise is proven to help prevent heart attacks, stroke and diabetes. It burns calories, increases your energy levels and makes you feel good about yourself. It really depends what you expect. It won't turn you into a slim sylph-like figure overnight but it will help you lose weight. It won't give you a super-toned body after one session in the gym but you will firm and shape up over a few months. It's not an instant cure for a lifetime of overeating and neglecting your body but it does give you enormous benefits. These will only come if you do it regularly.

9. I've no one to go with

You might be surprised at who would be a willing exercise buddy if you asked. But if you don't think there's anyone, don't let it put you off. There's really nothing to be afraid of in turning up to an activity on your own. Most instructors are good at making you feel welcome. Even joining a gym on your own is not so bad. Once you have had your orientation session you'll feel a lot more confident that you know what to do and can just get on and do it without being distracted by anyone else.

10. Exercise hurts

Exercise should NEVER hurt if you go at the right pace for you. If an activity or movement doesn't feel good, then don't do it. Slow down and listen to your body. If it's too much for you, choose another activity or another class. Injuries can result if you do too much too soon. You have to work up to fitness gently to get the most benefit.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for natural permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

Getting started with exercise when you really don't want to

Want to get fit but can't quite bring yourself to get moving? That's the situation with many people. We'd all like to be fit but sometimes the very thought of all that effort means we constantly put it off for another day.

And then there are those of us who start off enthusiastically with a new "three times a week at the gym" routine only to throw in the towel after a few weeks. You either injure yourself by going too fast too soon or find it takes up too large a chunk of the little free time you have or it just feels too much like hard work.

For reluctant exercisers the way to get fit without a fuss is by starting slowly and building up to a level you are comfortable with. If you challenge yourself just a little each time you do anything and never go too far beyond your comfort zone you can get a surprisingly long way fast.

This way of working up to exercise may seem a bit feeble to the fitness enthusiasts out there. But you have to remember they are already enjoying the huge benefits of working out. And it works a treat for those of us who have a horror of getting sweaty and uncomfortable and who don't yet have experience of how much better it feels to be fit.

To get going with a routine you can stick to:-

1. Start with something simple

Walking is a great way to ease gently into exercise. You can fit it into your day without getting changed into any special clothes. Put on a comfortable pair of shoes and you're ready. And it's something most people can do. You can take the dog and the kids if you need to. They'll benefit too. Or even just walk around your home if you can't get out.

2. Start with a tiny amount

If lack of time is putting you off, start with just 10 minutes exercise. Everyone can find 10 minutes somewhere in the day. You'll be amazed at how much better you'll feel with just 10 minutes every day if you don't do anything at all at the moment. Even better, find 2 or 3 ten minute periods when you can go for a walk. It's great to fit a walk in at lunchtime and after dinner and maybe you can make it part of your journey to or from work or taking your kids to school. This will meet the guidelines for a healthy lifestyle - but in any case 10 minutes a day is great to get you started. So don't let the guidelines put you off if you can't spare more time.

3. Never go too far too fast

If you're unused to exercise check with your doctor before you begin. Once you get going, build up your strength gradually, gently challenging yourself each day to go a little further, a little faster or a little longer. Straining yourself too much leads to injuries and if it gets to be too much too fast you'll end up giving up.

4. Make it fun

Get some company for your walks or listen to an MP3 or CD player or a portable radio. Choose a safe place to walk in your neighbourhood and if you can, somewhere with great scenery too. It may be worth driving a little to find a good place to walk.

5. Remind yourself of the benefits

Remind yourself each day, as you think about taking your exercise, how much you are doing for your health and well-being - cutting down your risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, burning calories and keeping your weight down, helping to protect against loss of muscle as you age and protecting yourself against osteoporosis too. And then there are the intangible benefits like improving your self-esteem and mood because you're doing something positive for yourself.

6. Be consistent

With a gentle exercise like walking be consistent and keep it up every day. It's too easy to let a day off extend into a week and then it's hard to get going again. If you do end up taking a break just go right back where you were. Don't try and make up for a day off by doubling your efforts the next day. Also if you do a lot on one day and feel the painful effects of some new activity, still try and do your walk the next day, even if you have to go a bit slower than normal. It helps you turn exercise into a habit.

7. Monitor yourself

A pedometer is a great tool for keeping a check on your progress. You can count the paces you take on your regular walk or even the paces you take all day. A pedometer encourages you to build up your level of activity and makes it easy to challenge yourself to build up your fitness bit by bit. If you monitor your whole day's activity, the paces soon add up if you follow those age-old weight loss tips about parking in the furthest space and using the stairs instead of the elevator. They say you should aim for 10,000 steps a day but you can build this up gradually 100 at a time.

8. Choose an alternative

If walking doesn't fill you with enthusiasm why not choose an activity you would like to do - something which doesn't feel like exercise. How about dancing or skating, skiing or horse-riding? Anything which gets you out and about and moving will help improve your fitness - you don't have to be restricted in the activities you choose provided your general health is OK. Think about the things you loved as a child and try taking them up again.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small


Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for natural permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

The best free weight loss program for natural weight loss

The best things in life are free and that is truly the case when it comes to planning your weight loss program.

Whatever you do, don't waste your money on diet patches, pills and potions - they may harm you and they will certainly harm your wallet. Stand well clear of anything which is supposed to help you lose weight that hasn't been prescribed by your doctor.

After all you already own everything you need to lose weight. You don't need the latest diet program. You don't need more fitness equipment gathering dust in a corner. You don't need a gym membership. You don't need diet foods. How much have you paid in the past for all the diet books and paraphernalia that were meant to help you but had no lasting effect on your weight?

To start a successful natural weight loss program you just need the following basic plan:-

1. Eat good healthy home cooked food
   
   Healthy in this case means low in fat, sugar and salt and with plenty of fruit and vegetables, natural whole grains and lean proteins. There are a ton of fantastic healthy and delicious recipes out there that you can use. You'll find them on the internet, in your own cookbooks or you can borrow recipe books from the library. Select the best meals you can and create a weekly meal plan. Enjoy your food more on your weight loss program than ever before! Plan your meals on a weekly basis and keep to it. Your shopping list becomes your best ally in your weight loss plan.
   
   Eating out is often the downfall in any weight loss program. If you can't avoid it, and especially if you eat out a lot, choose your restaurants with care and select the healthiest dishes from the menu. You could also ask them to prepare something healthy - most good restaurants would be able to provide plain fish or chicken for you with a salad (dressing on the side!)
   
   
2. Don't eat unless you are physically hungry and stop eating as soon as you are satisfied
   
   If you are overweight, you can be sure that you have eaten more food than your body needs in terms of calories. Chances are you've done that both through your choices of food - high in fat and sugar - which bulks up your body without filling you up and also through eating larger portion sizes than you really need of everything.
   
   If you've forgotten what a normal portion is, it's best to think of a meal as being about the size of your two clenched fists. Put that much on your plate to start with and see how it feels to eat that much. About right? Stop there. Too little? Have a spoonful more or fill up on salad or vegetables - you can't do much harm with them!
   
   
3. Add as much movement into your day as you can.
   
   Most weight loss programs have an exercise element. Great though this is in theory, it's where many people give up. It's just too demoralizing when you go red in the face, sweating and heart pounding after a couple of minutes when you're supposed to do twenty! Twenty minutes! You're lucky if you can do five. Why put yourself through this when you're clearly not ready?
   
   The best way to add more movement into your day is by walking. Walk everywhere! It's free! If you can afford it, get a pedometer and measure how much you're doing each day. Aim for 10,000 steps every day when you're trying to lose weight - it's also great to stay at that level once you reach your target - it will help you stay slim.
   
   If you're not fit, check with your doctor and start with a few hundred steps, adding to your total every day. If you don't have a pedometer, keep a note of your progress by counting the number of minutes you walk and get a rough idea of the distance you've covered (for example, one block and two lamp-posts), gradually increasing both as you get fitter.
   
   You can walk whatever the weather if you have the right clothes and footwear or you can just walk around your home or the shops - it really doesn't matter as long as you move!
   
   

Of course there are more things you can do to lose weight, but these three offer the best start to any weight loss plan. There would be far fewer overweight people in the world if everyone followed these simple and natural steps. Weight loss programs make things complicated because they need to differentiate themselves from each other. They are not just going to tell you the obvious - they have to wrap it up in ratios and percentages, points and calories, rules and regulations until you can't live a normal life and follow them.

Free yourself from the latest diet fad and just start by following these steps. Weight loss, though still not as easy as falling off the proverbial log - we know that is just a fantasy - will happen more easily than ever before and in a completely natural way which gives lasting results.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small


Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for natural permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

Get back in shape after the birth of your baby - a gentle 10 point plan

1. Be especially kind to yourself in the first weeks after your baby is born. Your body has gone through huge changes and it's unrealistic to expect that you can snap back into your old shape straight away. Unrealistic expectations sets you up for failure and disappointment, but you CAN get your figure back if you are patient and take it one step at a time.
   
   
   
2. Forget drastic dieting and treat your body to healthy nourishing food and gentle exercise to get back in shape. You will naturally lose some weight during the first few weeks as your uterus shrinks. Breast feeding alone will allow you to lose weight at 1lb a week if you eat normally and healthily as it uses up 500 calories a day, but you do need to eat enough so that your milk does not dry up. Plan on losing the remainder at a gentle pace.
   
   
   
3. Your tummy will look very sad after the birth, flabby and saggy. Don't worry you can soon get things looking good again. Do all the post-natal exercises and gentle exercise recommended by your health-care professionals during the first 6 weeks to get your tummy back in shape. After that check with them that it is Ok if you want to embark on a more strenuous exercise routine. Once your doctor says its OK to exercise, one of the best ways to retighten your muscles is a simple yoga move. Stand with your feet apart, hands on thighs. Breathe out fully and then pull your tummy muscles in and up as hard as you can, holding for a count of 10. If you do this a few times a day before breakfast you'll soon see results. Don't do this during pregnancy.
   
   
   
4. The first few weeks with your baby are precious and not the time to start injuring yourself by doing too much too soon. Whatever you decide to do, don't go mad in the first week you're allowed to exercise normally. Build up gradually as if you'd not exercised before.
   
   
   
5. If you are not able to get back to the gym or to do whatever activity you used to do now that you have a baby to care for, investigate home-exercise programs and videos you can do while your baby sleeps or organise your partner or friend to watch your baby for a short time while you exercise. You will need to be a bit more resourceful and determined to fit in your exercise but you can find a way if you really want to.
   
   
   
6. Walking with your baby is always great – you both get fresh air and out of the house and you get fitter while your baby is soothed by the movement of the pram. You could also use a baby carrier to keep your baby close to you while you walk. This is especially soothing for a restless baby. Aim to walk for 30 minutes to an hour each day.
   
   
   
7. You may find yourself tempted to snack more if you are alone at home with your baby especially if you are used to being out and about at work every day. Make sure you have lots of healthy snacks around such as fruit and avoid buying unhealthy snacks so you are not tempted. You may be better to plan 5 or 6 mini-meals rather than snacking all day AND having your usual lunch and dinner.
   
   
   
8. Take the time to plan simple meals for the next few days before you go shopping. This will help you avoid the "What's for dinner"/"Oh no, I haven't defrosted it?" / "Better send out for pizza again" Syndrome. This is not the time to plan elaborate recipes but try and avoid too much processed junk food because you do have time for a simple omelette, pasta sauce, baked potato or salad
   
   
   
9. If you start a plan to get in shape and it all feels like too much, simply restart it when you feel up to it – there's no need to beat yourself up over anything. Most women feel a bit tired and stressed with a new baby so don't put more pressure on yourself. All in good time. If you feel really down remember and seek help - post-natal depression is very real and quite common.
   
   
   
10. Reward yourself. You've been through a lot – your body has changed, your hormones are in disarray. Whatever you do that helps towards getting back in shape (a walk, a healthy snack, your tummy exercises or whatever) give yourself a pat on the back. A few moments to yourself can be a great reward if you have someone who will care for your little one for a while.
    
    
    
11. Bonus tip: Above all relax into your new life with your baby. You'll achieve nothing by worrying about your shape. Take time to rest and pamper yourself as much as possible. Sometimes you can feel quite neglected because your baby makes so many demands and this in itself can lead you to eat for comfort. Take care of your own needs. Ask for support from your partner. If you look after yourself by eating healthily and keeping up some gentle exercise you'll be fine and your weight will naturally rebalance itself over time.
    
    

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for natural permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!

Working at home? How to avoid piling on the pounds!

It's so tempting isn't it? Work is not going well. Or you have a deadline looming. Or you've got to update your accounts. Much easier to make endless trips to the fridge to fill up on snacks!

But when you start working at home, it can be alarming how quickly the pounds creep up, just because food is so available. And you bitterly regret all those snacks next time you get on the scales or try to do up something you haven't worn for a while.

Now, a normal office is not always the easiest place to control overeating either - everyone brings cakes and candy to share for the most minor celebration, and you have more opportunity for social type eating and drinking at lunch and after work. But a full fridge is a bigger threat - after all no one is watching you like they would be if you had three pieces of the cake at work!

Keeping out of the kitchen altogether would be one solution. You could pack your lunch and healthy snacks before you start the day, have a supply of cool drinks and set up tea and coffee making facilities in your home office - pretend you don't have a kitchen. But most of us won't do that. We like being at home because we have access to all the facilities that home offers. Sometimes it's great to be able to start dinner early or do a couple of chores while we take a breather from our other tasks.

But there are a few things you CAN do without making the kitchen and the fridge a "no-go" area.

• Make your lunch before you begin work - or at least know exactly what you are going to have. This way you are less likely to dive for the nearest fattening snack because you suddenly noticed you worked way past the point when you should have eaten and you are ravenous.
  
  
• Also prepare some healthy snacks so that you can grab them from the fridge and go. Sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery and the like make great nibbles when you haven't time to stop for a full meal. Put a tablespoonful of low-calorie dip into a small bowl if you don't like them just as they are.
  
  
• If you know you are going to be grazing all day - plan for 5 or 6 mini-meals throughout the day, rather than grazing AND eating a whole lunch. While this might be impractical in an office, at home you can do exactly as you like - make the most of it. A typical day might be
  
  
  • A bowl of fruit for breakfast.
    
  • A couple of crackers with sugar-free peanut butter half way through the morning.
    
  • Vegetable soup or salad for lunch.
    
  • A yogurt with chopped up apple in the afternoon.
    
  • 10 or so pretzel sticks to keep you going until dinner.
  
  
• If you can, try and take a break away from your work area while you eat so that you have time to focus on the food. It's too easy to wolf down a whole snack or meal and not even notice you've eaten it. If you don't have that focus it's harder to feel satisfied by the food you've had and you're more likely to want more straight away and overeat as a result. And of course you avoid those problems with keyboards getting sticky and work getting spoiled with bits of food.
  
  
• If you're working at home, you may find you have to keep some foods out of the house because they are just too dangerous to have around all day. My downfall is chocolate. So, if I buy chocolate biscuits for my kids I choose the kind that I don' t like that much and they do. But you may have to decide not to buy chocolate and junk snack foods at all if you really can't resist. It will do everyone else good too. And you can only eat what is there.
  
  
• As for exercise, at least make sure you move around throughout the day if your job is desk based. It's a huge bonus that no one can see you pacing around when you are on the phone, or doing exercises to avoid getting too tense such as rolling your neck, circling your shoulders or arms or doing leg extensions. If you make it a habit to move around just a couple of minutes every half an hour - the kind of break you need to be taking anyway - you will have taken over 30 minutes exercise in an 8-hour day! I find that when things get on top of me and I haven't had time for an early-morning aerobics session, 10 minutes vigorous housework once an hour works for me. I get some exercise, go back to my huge work task list feeling ready to tackle it AND I don't worry that my home is falling apart while I stay attached to my computer.
  
  
• Look like you mean business. I know it's great to be able to slob around all day in sweat pants and a t-shirt but it will do your self-image no good and you won't feel that waistband expanding half so much as you do when you wear normal smart casual clothes. Wear something comfortable but smart. You have to show yourself that it's worth looking good just for you so you get the message when you eat too.
  
  
• Keep regular hours. Although there may be a crisis or two where you absolutely have to work through the night and fortify yourself with pizza or ice-cream, you can't make this a regular habit for the sake of your weight, your health or your sanity.
  
  
• By the same token, get plenty of rest. There have been studies showing that a lack of sleep causes us to eat more during the following day.

Working at home IS fantastic. You are in control of your own time and your own choices much more than you ever were working for someone else. Design your working life to suit YOU and how you want to live. Want to be healthy and slim? Then DESIGN your day to meet your goals. You are the one who calls the shots now.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!