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It's a new year, and thanks to all the food consumed over the holidays, you may be wishing for a new you. To help you step away from the fruitcake and step onto a scale without fear and trepidation, we asked readers to share their waist-trimming strategies. May these eight tips help you meet your resolution, or at least return to your pre-holiday weight. Good luck!
Drink Up!
Drinking eight to ten glasses of water a day is great for skin and boosts weight loss, too. Drink it ice-cold and your body will burn additional calories just warming up. The benefits of drinking water far outweigh the first day or two of running back and forth to the bathroom.
—Malinda Edgell, Illinois
Don't Let Snacks Attack
I've found it's important to know your treat weakness, and then not bring that food into your home to tempt you. My treat weakness is ice cream. It may be more expensive—and inconvenient!—to go out and buy an occasional ice-cream sundae instead of keeping ice cream at home in my freezer, but to me, it's worth it to bypass the regret of overeating.
—;Name withheld, Maine
Keep it Clean
A few years ago when I joined a weight-loss program, I found it helpful to brush my teeth as soon as I finished eating a meal. The clean feeling that results helps me resist any impulse snacking. And as a bonus, I have great dental checkups!
—Sheryl Cook, Texas
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
I've found three things helpful in the battle of the bulge. First, I found a friend to go through a weight-loss program with me. Second, we focused on completely changing our eating habits rather than on "dieting." Finally, once we started the program, we never stepped on a scale. We based our weight loss on how we had to downsize our clothes.
—Rebecca Stewart, Illinois
Snack Strategically
I consume a piece of fruit or bottle of water before meals. This fills my stomach right before I eat, so I don't eat as much. Plus, I get in my fruits or water for the day!
—Krystie Taylor, California
Pump You Up
Building your muscle mass increases your metabolism. When you go for a walk, carry hand weights and do pumps and curls. You may gain a little weight in the beginning because muscles weigh more than fat. But once they're built up, they'll burn calories even when you're resting.
—Marcea Galindo, Washington
Go for a Quick Fix
I replaced my regular-size daily candy bar with a smaller, snack-size one. I still get my chocolate fix but at a fraction of the calories. I've also learned to compare me only to me. God designed my body just for me, so why get frustrated if I don't look like my thinner neighbor?
—Carrie Ismail, California
Talk to the One Who Made You
God already knows our struggles, so why not openly share this area of our life with him? Throughout each day, I pray for God's guidance to help me combat sugar cravings, incorporate exercise, and make healthy food choices with controlled portion sizes. God has rewarded me with gradual weight loss and the joy only he can bring.
— Pansy Crumpler, North Carolina
Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian Woman magazine.
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