1. Use the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Silly. The idea of simplicity when it comes to losing weight can surprise us because we get lost in the drama of our diet history. The rules, restrictions, and limitations of a crash diet abound when faced with those extra 20 pounds and desperate to lose them. And I understand reacting in crisis mode having been there one too many times.
But there’s a mindset worth fostering that will help you every day, crisis or not, make simple changes that require almost no effort but benefit the bottom line—your weight. After all, weight gain boils down to one simple idea. More calories than necessary, the excess is stored as fat. There is nothing more complicated than that, and yet many women forget or overlook applying the idea of kissing in their daily lives, especially when it comes to eating.
What are some ways you can use the kiss as a guide? reduce consumption, lose weight and rethink how you eat and manage your diet?
2. Try to apply flexibility, be open to creativity, and be willing to trade high-impact foods and beverages for lighter substitutes that you can create yourself. When you decide to eat something high-impact, hold on for a moment and ask yourself how you can tone it down, maybe substitute it, or leave something out so you can control your own story. Keep in mind that any action you take to improve a result is proactive and sharpens your awareness. There are many opportunities every day to apply Kiss. For example:
3. In coffee, Frappuccino’s, Caffe Mocha, Latte’s, Smoothies, Alfredo’s, switch to nonfat milk without whipping cream. Get just one pump of the flavored syrup, or ideally, switch to the sugar-free syrup. Instead of all these high-impact drinks distracting from the sheer pleasure of great-tasting coffee, why not go back to basics and add your own signature flair? Try a double espresso layered with fat-free foam to the top. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the froth, some low-fat or fat-free milk, mix and voila, a delicious low-calorie frothy drink without a big impact. Experience and enjoy how great the pure taste of coffee is when it’s not buried under other things.
By the way, cinnamon helps the body regulate sugar intake. Helps prevent sugar spikes by moderating the release of sugar into the blood. That’s not a license to overload on sweets, it’s just a tip to know and use to help moderate sugar absorption.
4. In Beverages: Replace high-sugar sodas, shakes, and juices with sparkling water or lemon water. Lemon naturally balances the Ph levels of the body. Try soda, preferably unsalted or sodium-free, mineral water, hot or iced tea with a sprig of mint or cinnamon stick, freshly squeezed carrot, or freshly squeezed orange juice. Sugar-free Kool-Aid or sugar-free Lemon-Aid will work.
Important point about sugar: it is in almost everything. Read food labels and be aware of where and how the foods you buy and eat affect your health and weight. Sodas and large sodas overload your body with empty calories, carbohydrates, and sugar and because sodas are high in phosphorus, they tend to lower calcium levels, which weakens your bones, a big red flag for women. women, especially those over 40 years of age.
5. Fast Food: You can still order a fun meal just with a little lighter impact. Here are some calorie-saving tips at some of the more well-known chains.
KFC – replaces fried, crispy, and extra-crispy chicken with grilled chicken. Grilled is delicious and saves calories, fat and sodium. Chicken Meal with Corn, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy with Biscuit is just as delicious grilled with the gravy skimmed off the potatoes. You won’t even notice it and every little bit of calories saved helps. This includes not using butter on the corn or cracker. You don’t need it as KFC has the sweetest and best corn by itself and their plain pound cake is outstanding. These are simple adjustments you can make that don’t affect the way you experience your food…it still tastes great and is fun to eat with slightly less impact on your bottom line, calories in.
McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s. Big Mac or double cheeseburgers, steak with bacon and cheese, or chicken combos can be enjoyed without the bun. Whoops, am I kidding? No. Remember you’re being flexible, so ask for a knife and fork, toss the bread, and be amazed at how easy it is to do. Or if that’s not imaginable right now for you, how about a compromise? Eat it with an open face. Mix half of bread, top half. Truly satisfying with fewer carbs, calories, and sodium. Substitute a side salad for the fries or donate half your order of fries to the trash if you can’t resist them without feeling deprived.
Wendy’s: Instead of fries, buy a baked potato and cover it with some ketchup and eat it with a spoon. You will hardly notice that the “fried” is missing in the flavor of all the potatoes.
Remember the drill at any restaurant, fast food, or home–grilled, baked, or broiled instead of fried.
5.Sweets. Swap out high-sugar desserts for a fresh fruit salad or fruit-topped angel food cake. You save calories and sugar and give your body the natural fiber of fruits. Plain yogurt, cinnamon, raisins, and sliced banana works in any combo, or vanilla yogurt over angel food cake with fruit.
The amount of sugar in food today is unbelievable and you will start to appreciate it the more you pay attention to food labels. The equation to remember is that 4 grams of sugar equals one teaspoon of sugar. For example, a 12 oz. can of soda has 39 grams of sugar or almost 10 teaspoons of sugar in one can. Wild Cherry soda has 42 grams or 10.5 teaspoons of sugar per can. Shakes start at 30 grams and better sit down for this one, all specialty coffees and drinks in Venti whipless sizes range from 71 to 82 grams of sugar and the Venti Green Tea Frappuccino whipless weighs 86 grams. That’s crazy? Think and visualize 23 teaspoons of sugar before you indulge.
6. Flavor Enhancements – Ask for sandwich dressings, specialty sauces, mayonnaise, barbecue, salad dressings, honey, butter, syrups, sauces, cheese and cream sauces of any name, including Alfredo on fettuccine, Benedict sauce on eggs, such as Garrison . Do you think fast food restaurants or chains have a clue or even care if they have added hundreds of amounts of high fat, high cholesterol, sugar, calories and sodium to your food? Not.
These sauces etc. they are big on flavor and a little goes a long way. Put it in the food yourself, lightly, and be in control. Try it. The point is to help you cut calories by doing little things that really matter and are easy to do. It’s not a big sacrifice to do anything on this list, is it? Small improvements each day add up to big rewards. Little things matter, because they affect and change results over time.
These are small steps that you can take every day. Add a few of your own when you remember you don’t have to do without them, you just have to do it smarter. Try it. If you’d like more information on tips and tricks for dieting smarter, not harder, visit my Diet-Bailout website and sign up for a free 17-page chapter of my eBook that will change your life and your weight.
rosemary hershey