The Fashion Project

I know these tips work, because I use them myself. I've lost 45lbs and am finally a size 10! A couple of these I actually made up, and didn't get them from an online article or a magazine. They are time-tested effective, at least for me.

As we all know by now, losing weight is hard, and there is no magic solution that works for everyone. One person's golden rule is another person's bane. So I'm not going to say these tips will definitely work for you just because they worked for me, but I am going to say that these tips come from a person who used them to lose weight, not someone who was already fit.


#1: Don't skip meals. In fact, have a snack

I started having a snack 3 hours after lunch, and I lost 4lbs just from that. I wasn't ravenous when I got home from work, and I didn't stuff myself at dinner. I also had less cravings in general. And I wasn't eating carrot sticks either. More often that not, my snack consists of a roll and coffee, sometimes dried fruit and nuts, or half a sandwich. I often have a snack 3 hours after breakfast too, since I start work at 8am and my lunch time is 12:30pm. That's a long break between meals, and I need a blood sugar boost mid-morning, so I have some nuts, cheese, or a yogurt.


#2: Reduce portions, but slowly

I started by simply putting less food on my plate when I ate. I found that I often didn't go back for more. There is something psychologically satisfying about "cleaning your plate" and I found that my brain still told my body "we're done" even though I was eating less. I would feel hungry maybe an hour sooner than before, but after a week or so, I got used to less food. Then I reduced again. Now I eat about half as much food as I used to, and it is enough to fill me up and keep me going without feeling hungry. When you overeat, your stomach extends to fit the extra food. But when you reduce portions, your stomach begins to shrink, so less food makes you full. It is not starving yourself, it is simply adapting your body to less calories, which makes you lose weight, and it is totally natural.


#3: Brush your teeth after dinner, not before bed

This one really works if you're a little lazy :P You will really rethink that midnight snack if it means going back to the bathroom to brush your teeth a second time. It isn't bad for your teeth, and it will prevent you from sneaking snacks or sugary drinks between dinner and bed.




#4: Step it up

I moved to Japan, and suddenly I was walking everywhere. I take public transit, but I still have to walk to the station twice a day. I also found myself wandering the mall on my lunch break just to get out of the school for a while. All that walking really added up- I lost 20lbs in 4 months. In the US, it's harder, since most people can't give up their cars. But adding a 20-minute walk somewhere in your day will equal some serious poundage, and you won't even need to step into a gym.



#5: Drink water with meals, all other drinks with snacks

This might sound weird, but hear me out. If you drink water with meals instead of juice, milk, or soda, for one thing you can taste the food better, and water clears the palate better, so your meal is more satisfying. It also helps achieve the "8 glasses a day" rule that the health nuts harp on.

However, when it comes to having some cookies, a small salad, a bagel, or some other between-meal snack, a fruit juice or glass of milk will really hit the spot, and make your snack last longer before your next meal. My favorite combos are milk with peanut butter on toast, orange juice and a muffin, and ice tea and half a sandwich.


6: Denial makes the heart grow fonder

The worst thing about any diet plan is that darned list of foods you "can't" have anymore. But missing out causes anxiety, fixation, depression, binging, and guilt. Why all the drama? If you really love a food, then keep eating it. Just be reasonable about it. Tell yourself it isn't off limits, but it is a reward for some achievement. Maybe a treat after a rotten day, a reward for meeting a goal, or an indulgence during a social event. Don't make a big deal out of it, and you'll find that you actually want to eat that sugary/fatty/oily food less than when you thought you couldn't have it. Give yourself rules you can follow without wanting to tear your hair out, instead of copying the rules of other diets.


I hope my tips are helpful for you. What are some of yours?