I’ll shoot you straight. There’s no “short cut” to weight loss. It takes consistency and hard work! One of the questions I get asked most from clients is “What are some easy things I can do to lose weight?” You’ll still need to work hard in the gym and stay consistent with a clean diet to really change your physique, but here are some simple ways you can “cut the crap” and make minor changes that will save you hundreds of calories that can add up to some major pounds dropped!
1.) Rethink your coffee—did you know that most flavored coffee creamers have 20 (up to even 50 calories!) per a 2 tablespoon serving? Not to mention that they’re packed with sugar and fat too! Most coffee drinkers probably use more than two tablespoons (basically a shot glass) in just one cup of their morning joe! That adds up quick—upwards of hundreds of calories and a day’s intake of sugar! I’ve mentioned in previous posts that a typical Starbucks latte has upwards of 300 calories! Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE coffee, and I love mine with a creamy delicious flavor to it! Your better option is to get the SUGAR FREE coffee creamers—unfortunately they don’t come in a ton of flavors, but they save you lots of calories and (hooray!) have no sugar!! I love Coffeemate’s Sugar Free French Vanilla, Caramel, and Hazelnut flavors and it is a HAPPY HAPPY DAY when the sugar free seasonal flavors of Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha come around!! You can also opt for fat free half and half (20 calories per 2tbs, no fat, no sugar) and some Splenda or Stevia instead of real sugar. That’s my other go to! You can also use the Torani sugar free syrups too! You can find those at World Market or Amazon, and they also are great in egg whites or oats or plain Greek yogurt!
2.) Juice and “regular” soft drinks and sweet tea are NOT your friends— read the nutrition label, pay special attention to the sugar content and the ingredients. SUGAR is the enemy here. Absolutely no nutrition value, and those calories add up super quick! Fruit Juices are laden with added sugar—you’re much better off just eating an orange or an apple instead of drinking the juice of them! Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Root Beer, etc. a large fountain drink of one of those will easily put you at close to 500 calories and 50 grams of sugar!! That’s two days worth of sugar and easily almost a third of an average female’s daily caloric intake. NOT WORTH IT FRIENDS! If you have a die hard soda habit, cut it down as much as you can and swap it for sparkling water or tea (unsweet, but you can use Stevia or Splenda). You’ll feel better and will be more hydrated too! Those bottled and fruit smoothies can go in this category too—tons of sugar in those too!!
3.) Candy, cookies, cakes, JUNK—If you’re not around it, and it’s not in your house, you won’t eat it! I can guarantee that if you portion out these sweet treats and enjoy them once or twice a week in moderate amounts, you will ENJOY them so much more! A sugar craving is hard to kick, but you’ll never truly be successful with weight loss unless you can get it under control. Pay attention to how you’re feeling when you reach for candy or chips or cookies—ask yourself if you’re eating it out of hunger or cravings or because of your emotions. If you’re truly hungry, try to pick a more healthy, satisfying option!
4.) Fruit—I love fruit! Especially when it’s fresh and in season! Honeycrisp apples are my JAM, but I also love bananas and berries and pineapple! Fruit is GOOD for you! It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients, and even fiber! But it also has a lot of natural occurring sugars, which can make it high in calories. Try to keep your fruit intake to 1 or 2 servings per day. If you’re really serious, keep it to half a serving to one serving per day.
5.) Alcohol—I LOVE wine, and margaritas, and craft cocktails just as much as every other lady out there. BUT, when it comes to weight loss, alcohol is the absolute enemy. Yes it’s delicious, it helps you unwind, and it often leads to fun times and good memories, but that comes at the expense of hundreds (even thousands!) of calories! A bottle of wine easily packs a 500 calorie punch—that’s three large glasses! A frozen drink? You’re looking at 400 – 600+. Even just a light beer comes in at around 150. It adds up! And most alcohols have tons of sugar too! That’s where the calories come from! If you consume several alcoholic beverages a week, you’re without a doubt offsetting the work you’re putting in in the gym.
Nothing worth having comes easy. Like I tell my friends and clients all the time—this “being healthy” thing is a lifestyle. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy treats or sweets or wine any more at all, but it does take being cognizant of your intake! 3,500 calories burned equals one pound of fat. Small changes that save calories add up to big results! You can do this!!
Till next time,
-Mere