My 5 Best Weight Loss Tips Ever!

1. Weekly weigh-in.

imageI used to weigh myself multiple times a day. It didn’t help me lose weight but it did help to drive me crazy. It’s normal for weight to fluctuate by several pounds throughout the course of the day. It’s mostly a matter of fluid shifts within the body – not rapidly losing or gaining body fat. A weekly weigh-in, same day of the week, same time of day, similar clothing is the most reliable way to see progress.

2. Establish a regular eating schedule.

Screen Shot 2014-05-15 at 5.24.34 AMSkipping meals isn’t a good strategy. I used to think that skipping meals was an obvious strategy. It’s that many fewer calories I was eating, right? HA! Wrong.

Skipping meals made me very hungry.  When I finally would allow myself to eat, I ate fast and I’d eat more than I’d need to be full. If I slowed down, which I didn’t, I’d have given myself a change to recognize I’d eaten all I needed to be satisfied at that meal. Eating fast enabled me to eat much too much without feeling the discomfort until after I finished.

Skipping meals backfires in two ways. Your body becomes more efficient, meaning it slows its fuel consumption (burning calories). When you eat the next meal, it’s still in the slower calorie-burning mode and if you’re eating too fast and therefore eating more calories than your body needs, the excess ones become body fat.

Eat on time. It’s easier to stay in control and enjoy your food!

3. Read the nutrition facts label on the back of the package!

Read carefully! 1/2 ounce serving adds 64 calories to your salad. 45 are coming from fat. a 1/2 ounce serving is not even a cupped palm full of these cheesy salad boosters.

The front of the package makes this sound like a great way to make your salads healthier. Turn it over! Read the nutrition facts! Read carefully! 1/2 ounce serving adds 64 calories to your salad. 45 are coming from fat. a 1/2 ounce serving is not even a cupped palm full of these cheesy salad boosters.

Whole Grain! Gluten-Free! 30% less Fat! Half the Sodium! Good Source of Fiber! More Calcium than an 8 oz Glass of Milk! Full Days Supply of Vitamin C! and all the other things food manufacturers put on the front of the package to get you to buy it doesn’t tell you what you need to know.

Flip the package over to read the serving size and the calories per serving.

4. Move more!

Back to tracking and it's a small price to pay to help ensure I won't miss moments like this!

Even if you go to the gym regularly, put more physical activity into your day. Waste energy! It’s expensive to waste electricity or heating fuel, but you have plenty of personal energy (calories) to waste for free.

  • Get in the habit of breaking up long periods of sitting with 5-minute walks.
  • Park further away, wander in stores more.
  • take stairs!
  • walk your dog more!
  • play with your kids more!
  • play more games on Wii or Kinect!
  • Dance when the urge strikes you!

5. Treat yourself better than you treat anybody else!

Is there somebody in your life who gets to see the best of you?

These four gets the best of me. I try to be as good to myself as I am to them. Who gets the best of you? Be sure to give yourself the best of you!

These four gets the best of me. I try to be as good to myself as I am to them. Who gets the best of you? Be sure to give yourself the best of you!

Who is the person

  • to whom you always keep your promises
  • you would never say an unkind word to his/her face or behind his/her back
  • you would stop what you’re doing to help
  • you encourage to reach to the stars
  • you have unconditional faith
  • for whom you have an unending supply of patience

?

Make that person YOU!

For more of my weight loss tips, live on TV, tune into Good Day Maine (FOX) Wednesday, July 23 at 7:40 am!

For more of my weight loss tips, live on TV, tune into Good Day Maine (FOX) Wednesday, July 23 at 7:40 am!

Jackie Conn

About Jackie Conn

Jackie Conn is married and has four grown daughters and four grandchildren. She is a Weight Watchers success story. She's a weight loss expert with 25 years of experience guiding women and men to their weight-related goals. Her articles on weight management have been published in health, family and women's magazines. She has been a regular guest on Channel 5 WABI news, FOX network morning program Good Day Maine and 207 on WCSH.