6 Healthy Habits You Need To Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Losing weight or maintaining your present weight may seem like a huge challenge.

It doesn't have to be.

I often get asked how I have kept off the 50 pound weight loss for all these years.

It is a simple plan really….and it is not anything wild and crazy.

Many people who are able to maintain their weight loss basically follow six healthy habits.

1) Eat lots of fiber.
You can get fiber in your life by eating fruits, berries, beans,
and many vegetables. Check food labels and do a little research
to learn what foods are high in fiber.

Fiber gives you a feeling of being full and it helps regulate
you.

2) Drink lots of water.
Water helps flush toxins through the kidneys and keeps your body
hydrated. Water also makes you feel full and you crave less to
eat. Most nutritionists recommend you drink an average of six to
eight glasses of water daily. Another plus of hydration is it
helps keep your blood pressure under better control.

3) Exercise regularly.
Regular exercise boosts your metabolic rate and allows you to
burn calories. When you build muscle through exercise, you
actually continue to burn calories as you rest.

You should include both aerobic exercise and strength training in
your exercise routine. Aerobic training can include walking
briskly, running, dancing or any activity that brings your heart
and breathing into play. You should do aerobic exercise for
twenty to thirty minutes or more, four to five times a week.

Strength training brings your muscles into play. Weight lifting,
pushups, chinups; these build your muscles. Strength training
should be done at least three times a week.

4) Eat plenty of green foods.
These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals. Try to eat one or
two servings of leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and
broccoli, at least two to three times a week. Juicing is a good
alternative.

5) Eat more healthy fats.
All fats are not bad. Eating fish, nuts, flaxseed and other
healthy fats can actually increase the rate at which you burn
calories.

At the same time, you want to limit unhealthy fats such as
cheese, margarine, pastries and such.

6) Learn to read food labels.
You can't always eat fresh foods. By learning to read food
labels, you can keep a good eye on your diet.

Check the serving size. Many people look at the calories or the
carbs on the label but fail to note that is per serving.

Some labels may read two or two and a half servings per can. That will
throw your diet out of whack in short order.

Note how much sugar or salt has been added to improve the taste.

Many labels will give you the fat content and/or the fiber
content.

Following these six healthy habits on a daily basis will help you
get to the weight you desire and help you maintain that
weight.