Small Changes to Lose Weight

Small changes to lose weight ... will that really work?
Absolutely. Small steps/changes can help you accomplish all kinds of other cool stuff: why not also losing weight? Turtle-tracks really do work just about everywhere.

And what you'll have going for you with this approach is that small changes tend not to threaten the status quo. So you may feel less resistance toward each change you make. And, because the changes will be so small, they won't seem like much of a sacrifice. Click on the link—small changes to lose weight—to see someone using such changes to build more exercise into her life. (When you're finished, just click the back-arrow to return to this page.)

Your Own Changes
If you did click on the link, you've just seen "Samantha" implementing some small changes to lose weight and increase her overall fitness. Because Sam’s a pretty hard case, she needs to go particularly slowly.

Otherwise, she may run off the rails—and Sam knows this about herself from past experience. Let’s assume, however, that you can move along somewhat faster yourself. And that for your own small changes, you decide to focus on nutrition.

Acing the Carbs
If you’ve done some research on the subject of diet, you may already have read about the benefits of bringing your protein/carbohydrate/fat ratios into a reasonable balance. So, for you a profitable small change might be to start paying attention to the carbohydrate count in the foods you eat. Write down the carbs you consume for a day or two, just to get a picture of your own pattern.

Should you discover that your own ratio hovers around 12 grams of protein, say, to 90 or 100 grams of carbohydrates (or even more), you’ll have a starting point. So, perhaps you begin working more protein into your diet, while also axing some of the carbs—maybe shooting for a two-to-one ration of carbohydrates to protein at first.

[FYI: the Zone Diet recommends 4 grams of carbohydrates for every 3 grams of protein, but that may be an unrealistic goal for some of us.]

But since you’re doing small changes to lose weight, maybe you go for closer to 30-35 grams, particularly at first. Build up to whatever goal you set for protein intake, rather than trying to do everything all at once. (Your digestion may thank you for that.)

Now, let’s see how your small changes might look. We'll use breakfast, since it often sets the tone for the day.

Breakfast
If your breakfast pattern tends to be mainly simple carbohydrates (been there, done that), you have a great “small change” to begin with: cutting back on the bread products. Don’t try to eliminate them all at one go; just start cutting back gradually.

For example, instead of that bagel or muffin (and maybe nothing else) every single morning, substitute a smoothie of fruit, yogurt or milk, and some protein powder. Perhaps do this substitution twice during the first week. You may be pleasantly surprised at the increase in your energy on those two days.

The next week, slide in a third lower-carb breakfast, this one oatmeal with fruit and perhaps some lean bacon or sausage (or a vegetarian substitute) on the side. True, the oatmeal is a carbohydrate, but it’s a more-nutritious complex carb. It’s also reputed to help lower cholesterol. Still hungry? Have a dollop or two of yogurt—but not one loaded with sugar.

During the third week, pull in another protein breakfast: maybe an egg and spinach wrap—with some sausage (or vegetarian substitute) and a modest amount of low-fat cheddar. Sure, it takes longer to build the wrap than to toast and butter a bagel, but look at what you get. Think the wrap has too many calories? Or you don't want the carbs from the tortilla? Then, make the spinach and eggs into an omelet.

Take these same kinds of simple steps with your other meals, gradually bringing your carb/protein balance into line and dropping some pounds at the same time. Your losses will be gradual, but they’ll happen—particularly if you also walk at least thirty minutes a day. Plus, the pounds are far more likely to stay off than if you had used a crash diet to lose those pounds. Simple steps and small changes: a great route to your target weight.

*Disclaimer: Please understand that I am not a nutritionist. My aim here is merely to suggest simple ways to use small changes to lose weight. I cannot and should not try to tell you exactly what and how much to eat. In determining such matters, you'll find your common sense, your own nutritional knowledge/research, and your food budget the appropriate guides. And consider booking a session with a professional nutritionist.

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