When you’re losing weight, you’re essentially downsizing: getting rid of the stuff you really don’t need. You know, like that 1000 calorie cheeseburger or 300 calorie mocha drink. If you learn these four lessons well, you’ll be downsizing a dress size in no time.
1. Downsize your portions. An average entrée at an Americana restaurant is about 1300 calories. That’s more than half your calories for the entire day. When you go out, only eat half your entrée and take the rest home or split it with a friend. Dining out doesn’t mean eating an appetizer, breadstick, entrée, dessert and a drink. Downsize, downsize, downsize! Think small portions and eat slowly. Skip anything you don’t love.
2. Downsize your drinks. As the cups in America’s fast food and convenience stores have gotten bigger, so have our waistlines. Don’t choose that 32 ounce cup for soda. Keep your serving size small or better yet, skip soda and other specialty drinks. Instead reach for all the free water you want. You’ll save a ton of money and you’ll be so much healthier.
3. Downsize your shopping habits. We spend so much time in stores buying more things that we don’t need. Then while we’re out, we buy fast food and unhealthy snacks for ourselves and our kids. Why not make a resolution to shop less and exercise more?
4. Downsize your television time. Hours spent in front of the tube are hazardous for your health. Why? You’re usually sedentary (except when you walk to the kitchen for a bag of chips) and you’re usually snacking. Plus time in front of the TV kills meaningful conversation between you and your spouse and kids. Spend less time in front of the television and more time doing things together with your family. You’ll lose weight by being more active.
Downsizing often has a negative connotation, but when it comes to losing weight, downsizing is a good thing. Follow these steps every day and you’ll be downsizing…your dress size that is!
