Non-Dieting Weight Loss: A Simple 6-Step Primer

Restrictive dieting often backfires. Maybe it's better to take a long-term, sustainable, holistic approach to healthy weight management.

1. Don't go on a diet. The word diet means a "way of life" and unless you are going to stay on some type of diet for the rest of your life, then it's really not a "diet".
2. Learn to know when you are "hungry" for something or if you are "craving" it. If you are hungry then eat it, however only eat until you are not hungry anymore (this is hard to do).
3. Health doesn't happen without some form of exercise. Try and walk a little each day. Only walk when you enjoy it, and stop when you don't like to walk anymore. You don't have to walk a certain amount of minutes or miles a day. Just do what is enjoyable and what you feel like doing.
4. When you really "crave" something, wait 15 minutes before consuming it. Usually the feeling goes away during that time.
5. Chose a "ME" day once a week. On that day you can do or eat anything you like. You can go shopping, take in a movie, read a book or anything your heart desires. Don't let anyone or anything interfere with your "ME" day unless it is unavoidable, i.e. family pressures, sickness, etc.
6. Learn to smile more and relax.