For the last 5 years, my goals have included losing 100 pounds…and for the last 5 years I lost and gained the same few pounds over and over again. I finally decided enough was enough. This year, while my goal is still to lose 100 pounds, I broke it up into 10 pound goals. And so far this year, I’ve lost almost 50 pounds! If you’re like me, you’ll have better results if you attack your weight challenge 10 pounds at a time instead of trying to tackle your huge goal. This is a manageable and believable goal, and you’ll only need to make a couple of small changes to achieve it. If you want to know how to lose 10 pounds quickly, this is for you!
Do the minimal amount to lose 10 pounds in a reasonable amount of time. If you want to lose 10 pounds quickly, commit to a few of these items.
How to lose 10 pounds with the minimal amount of stress and effort:
- Drink fewer calories. If you drink calorie-containing drinks, it’s easy to consume a lot of calories without your awareness. Switching to water is an easy way to save yourself several hundred calories each day. You can flavor it with fresh fruit. I’ve always loved McDonald’s Cokes, but by cutting them out, I’ve saved myself a ton of daily calories!
- Walk. Hitting the gym could be even better but be certain you’re walking each day. We’re meant to move around more than most of us do. My goal is to hit 10,000 steps every day. While it doesn’t always happen, I’m definitely moving a whole lot more than I used to. If you have foot or leg problems and walking is difficult, swimming is an excellent alternative.
- Eat slower. You’re much less likely to overeat if you eat slower. Pay attention to the food in your mouth and chew thoroughly. I try to chew each bite 30 times. Avoid watching TV or playing on your phone while you eat. Give your meal your undivided attention, eat slowly, and you’ll eat less.
- Reduce your intake of processed carbs. I know….now I’m just meddling! 🙂 I love carbs too, but processed carbs are loaded with calories and are not healthy. Skip things like cookies, crackers, bread, and pasta and opt for fresh fruit or veggies instead.
- Stop eating after dinner. After two or three meals, your body has had enough. Eating after dinner is unnecessary and can cause a host of problems. Eating a lot and then going to bed isn’t optimal for your weight or your health.
- Sleep more. Studies show that tired people are attracted to fattening foods more than the well-rested. A lack of sleep also contributes to metabolic issues that make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Try to be in bed before 10pm.
- Eat at home. I love to eat out, but it’s a lot more challenging to be healthy when you’re eating out. There are so many sneaky things added to your food when you eat out. Make your meals at home and you’ll know exactly what’s going into your body. And as a bonus, you’ll save money so you can buy cute clothes in smaller sizes! 🙂
- Weigh yourself daily. When you measure something, the thing you measure changes. Weigh yourself each day and average your weight at the end of each week. You might find this is enough to move your weight in a positive direction.
- Eat more vegetables. With few exceptions, vegetables are low in calories and high in bulk. You’ll feel full without expanding your waistline. While green leafy veggies are best, a variety of brightly colored veggies will help with your weight loss and your health.
- Skip breakfast. For ages, we’ve been told to eat three meals a day. However, there is so much great research on intermittent fasting. Don’t skip lunch. Just shorten the amount of time you eat during the day… In other words, skip breakfast or dinner. While skipping dinner is just as beneficial (and often more beneficial) than skipping breakfast, most people find it easier socially and psychologically to skip breakfast.
Losing 10 pounds is a lot easier physically and mentally than losing 60 lbs. Set a series of 10-pound weight-loss goals until your target weight is reached. A few small changes can be enough to see real results.
Just add a few of these tips to your life until you’re losing 1-2 pounds each week. Avoid the temptation to try to lose 25 pounds each month. Two pounds/week is 100 pounds/year. How much did you lose last year with your current strategy?
