Quick Tips: Keeping your new year resolution to lose weight

It's a new year and almost everyone who has made their new year resolutions will have made this resolution: To lose weight/Be healthy! But how many of us will actually be able to really do it?

There's no short cut or trick to it. We all know exercise plays a huge part in losing weight/being healthy, as well as eating healthily. However, lots of people give up halfway or worse still, don't even have the determination to start at all. I know, because I have been through the same thing year after year after year.

Hence, last year, I decided that I would take baby mini steps instead of trying to jump into exercising 3 times a week and going cold turkey on fried and oily food and all the gazillion weight loss supplements that we are always so tempted to buy after being fed with their miracle stories (pun! lol). I'm happy to say that this year, I feel much healthier and still am able to have the occasional treat that I love every now and then without feeling any guilt. So here are my 3 quick tips (remember, there are no short cuts or tricks, but tips will help, if only a bit =D) to a healthier/slimmer you!

The secret is simply this: You eat smaller portions, but more meals. I noticed that by practising this, my metabolism rate became quicker and I ate much less. So instead of eating 3 full big meals a day, try breaking it down to at least 5 meals or more in a day. On a typical workday, what I do is this:

1. 8.30am : I have a light breakfast of either a slice of toast with thinly spread peanut butter, or a small bowl of cereal with low fat milk. I make a small cup of coffee just to satisfy my caffeine kick, and with minimal sugar.
2. 11.00am: I have some fruits like an apple or a banana or a handful of nuts. If I'm really hungry/have a particularly good appetite on that day, I eat a wheat biscuit or make a cup of instant oat/cereal drink.
3. 1.30pm: I have lunch with my colleagues. Since I usually eat out at this time, I will either share with someone else, or doggy-bag the remaining portion of my food once I feel I have had enough. Never eat until you feel bloated, and always eat slowly. Order only plain water if you can help it!
4. 4.00pm: I have teatime and again, I either eat some fruits or low fat biscuits and have a cup of green tea (with no sugar). Sometimes, i have a small piece of chocolate just for a treat!
5. 7.00pm: I have dinner at home, usually home-cooked instead of takeout. Here, I can control my portions (unlike lunch when the portions at restaurants are normally quite big), and I always make sure I eat plenty of vegetables and chicken and fish, but with less rice.
6. 10.30pm/11.00pm: I have a small cup of hot chocolate or milk just before I go to bed at 12.30am or 1am.

As you can see, I manage to take in 6 mini meals a day! You just have to make sure you are never hungry, so you have to eat every 2 to 3 and a half hours to keep your metabolism up and never resting. Remember, SMALL portions, MORE meals!

I am myself guilty as charged of not exercising as much as i should. However, any exercise is better than none! Anytime I get the chance, I get off my butt from the office chair and brisk walk (in my heels!) to my colleague's room to discuss something instead of using the intercom, go to the pantry to get a cup of water, go to the restroom to freshen up, climb the stairs if its only a couple of floors, park my car further away from the building so I am forced to walk (assuming its a secure parking area), and squeeze in about 20 squats a day when I reach home from work and before I take a shower. All this are better than nothing, and there are also many many different kinds of exercises that you can do subtly, like sucking in your abdomen and holding/clenching it to the count of 5, and release again for 5 seconds (repeat this 10 times, nobody will notice you doing it when you are sitting down in your office chair!), or Kegel exercises (which does wonders for your sex life too *winks), or even lifting your legs parallel to your office chair and holding it/releasing for 5 seconds each time (again, 10 reps is good). There are plenty of other ideas on the internet if you just give it a quick google =)

Always ensure you are hydrated, as this will give you more chances to go the restroom (see tip above) instead of being stuck in the office chair for hours on end (this will also help to lessen the office-chair-big-butt-syndrome =P). Drink water before any meal, as this will fill you up and reduce your overall food intake. Don't drink too much before going to bed though, as you may wake up with water retention the next morning. 8 to 10 glasses during the day will suffice, with no more water intake at least an hour or two before bedtime.

So there you are, 3 quick tips to help you lose some weight and become a healthier, happier person! I welcome more suggestions for everyone's benefit in your comments, so write away!

Last but not least, good luck and stay focused (put sticky notes everywhere in your house to remind yourself of your goal to lose weight if you have to...reminders/self encouragement really helps!)...and stay healthy (that means no drastic diets/no overeating weight loss supplements)!