Easy ways to lose weight quickly and make sure it stays off!

Are you serious about losing weight but don’t know where to begin? Well, then, I’m glad you’re here! I’ve been through this journey myself, losing 40 pounds in just six months back in 2000-2001, and I’ve been able to keep it off ever since.

First, let me say that I don’t believe in diets. So what I’m about to teach you isn’t a diet; it’s a lifestyle change. If you’re ready to make a profound lifestyle change and eat a healthy whole-food diet, keep reading because I will help you get started.

Figuring out the right amount of weight to lose for your body.

First, you need to determine how much weight you want to lose, and luckily, there are easy tools that can help you with this.

First, let's talk about Ideal Body Weight, or IBW. Your IBW is a weight range that shows you where you should be based on your height, sex, and age. For example, a 55-year-old woman who is 5’10”, based on the Devine Formula, should be 151 pounds.

To create the range, subtract 15 pounds from 151 and then add 15 pounds to 151 to get the range of 136-166. This is your IBW range based on the Devine Formula. If you fall within that range, then you are at your IBW. Of course, you will need a reliable bathroom scale. I recommend something digital like Etekcity Bathroom Scale for Body Weight. Only $15.89 on Amazon!

You should weigh yourself every morning after you roll out of bed and empty your bladder. This is your dry weight, and it will help you determine whether you’ve gained or lost weight from the day before. It will also help you with your daily meal and drink choices.

IBW is the way to measure how much weight a person should lose, but there is also another tool called Body Mass Index, or BMI. This measurement is often used in today's weight loss practice. Body mass index (BMI) measures body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women.

You can use either IBW or BMI to help you lose weight. I used the IBW tool first to help me lose weight and then the BMI tool to help me keep my weight in check after I lost the desirable amount.

Based on your IBW range, you can now determine how much weight you need to lose based on your daily calorie intake.

Using a calorie calculator, you can determine how many calories per day you should consume to maintain or help you lose weight.

Before I move on, let me say that these tools are not exact or perfect by any means, but they give you some idea of where you need to be to help you start your weight loss journey.

Consult your doctor or a dietician for more accurate details or advice.

Beginning your journey to a healthier you: simple steps to start losing weight

So now that you know what your IBW and BMI are and how many calories you need to consume daily, the next step is to get the right tools to help you along your journey.

I recommend getting a digital kitchen scale and a good set of measuring cups and spoons. These will help you control portion size when meal-prepping at home. I recommend the My Weight Digital Kitchen scale, $48.22 on Amazon.

Portion control is easy once you figure out how many calories are in your food. You can do this by weighing your food, such as meat, or by measuring your food, such as salads, yogurt, and fruits, you get the idea.

Keep a calorie chart of your favorite food items. This way, you don’t have to keep looking them up, or you can download the fitness app on your phone, which makes calorie tracking a breeze!

So, what is meal prepping? Making a serious lifestyle change to a healthy whole-food diet requires planning. I usually devote 2-3 days a week to meal prep, which means I shop at the food store at least 2-3 times a week. Meal prepping in advance saves you time during the week when you’re working or taking care of your family or other things in life that keep you busy.

Revamp your kitchen: Clear out unhealthy items to make space for nutritious alternatives in your fridge and pantry.

Before you go to the store, you need to eliminate all the bad, processed, overly salty, overly sweet foods in your refrigerator and pantry.

Things that come in bags like chips, pretzels, cookies, donuts, snack cakes, candy, you get my point.

In addition, get rid of processed drinks like pre-sweetened juices and sodas. Things that are high in corn syrup are full of calories.

Things that will only cause temptation down the road and set you up for failure along your journey, like ice cream.

Frozen and canned foods also make my list of things to eliminate, but in the spirit of moderation, I will first focus on junk foods.

You’re still here to lose weight, right? Stay with me; just because I’m telling you to eliminate the junk doesn’t mean you can’t reward yourself. More on that later.

Recognize your diet saboteur: Identifying the source of obstacles hindering your nutritional goals.

For me, my saboteur was my husband—not because he doesn’t love me, but because he does. My husband expresses love through food; being Italian, he cooks many delicious home-cooked Italian meals.

Talk with your saboteur and make sure they understand how their support is needed for you to accomplish your weight loss goal.

Come up with healthy ways to eat together that won’t sabotage your new healthy lifestyle change.

Through my weight loss journey, I’ve introduced my husband to a healthy, organic, whole-food diet, which he has embraced in his lifestyle choices. Now, we only buy organic produce and pasture-raised meat, whereas before, we bought anything at the store.

By introducing healthy lifestyle choices to your family, you are opening up a world of healthy possibilities for them now, which may help them avoid going through their own weight loss journey in the future.

Smart grocery shopping for healthier eating: What foods to grab at the store?

If possible, try to buy organic fruits and vegetables. They look and taste better than factory-farmed produce, which may have hidden chemicals and pesticides. It’s also better for the planet, and you can support your local farmers this way.

The money you spend today on an organic diet will save you healthcare costs down the road!

Instead of cakes, cookies, and candies, try eating grapes, bananas, melon, or whatever fruit you like or want to try. There are so many exotic fruits worldwide, and when I see something new at my local organic store, I can’t wait to try it!

Some of the best fruits for weight loss are:

• Berries

• Melon

• Citrus

• Bananas

But try other fruits as well, in moderation. Fruits contain fructose, which equals calories. So check the nutritional label if available and watch your portion sizes.

If the fruit you purchase doesn’t have a label, you can look up portion sizes for fruit online and record the calories in your calorie chart using your smartphone or computer. This gets easier the more you do it!

The same goes for vegetables. If your grocery store offers organic veggies, try them. They look and taste better than factory-farmed produce and are healthier for you and the planet.

Some of my favorite vegetables for weight loss are:

• Green leafies like arugula and spinach

• Tomatoes

• Cucumbers

• Zucchini

• Asparagus

  
  

Just like with fruit, try incorporating new vegetables into your diet. Once you get used to eating fruits and vegetables daily, you'll be surprised how much your body craves them and how much you will start to feel better overall.

You can eat non-starchy vegetables until the cows come home because vegetables have fewer calories than fruit. Starchy veggies such as potatoes, corn, and peas should be consumed in moderation since they have more calories. Starches break down into sugar, so they should be weighed or measured.

Buy whole grain bread, pasta, and wild rice instead of processed white bread, pasta, and white rice. The calorie count isn’t much different, but they are better for gut health.

If you’re a meat eater, support local farms by buying pasture-raised meat and wild-caught seafood. Compared to factory-farmed animals, I cannot tell you how much better pasture-raised and wild-caught meat, eggs, and dairy taste. Pasture-raised livestock are happier, healthier, and much better for the planet.

Why Water Matters for Losing Weight: How Staying Hydrated Helps Your Body Slim Down and Feel Great!

Get rid of store-bought juice and sodas, and start drinking water. Water makes up about 70% of our planet (2) and 60% of our bodies. (1) Store-bought juice and soda are full of calories, and these calories count when you’re trying to lose weight!

Drinking water is a great way to stay hydrated, and it’s also great for circulation and urinary tract health. Plus, water has zero calories.

An adult should drink 3-4 liters of water daily. (3) Drinking water is a great way to keep your hungry belly full when starting your weight loss journey.

Buy yourself a nice water bottle and always keep it with you. I never leave home without mine! I recommend the Hydro Flask water bottle, $30.27 on Amazon.

Incorporate a 20-minute daily exercise routine for enhanced fitness and well-being.

Exercise is also essential for your weight loss journey but only accounts for about 30% of your weight loss (4). So why bother? Exercise offers something else: it gives you a sense of accomplishment. It builds muscle mass, releases endorphins, the feel-good hormone, (5), and helps tone your body and mind.

I’m not saying you must work out at the gym every day for an hour. I’m not saying you have to have a gym membership at all.

During the pandemic, I discovered YouTube yoga, my preferred method of daily exercise. I do a simple 25-minute yoga practice each morning before breakfast to help tone my mind and body.

Other simple ways to incorporate exercise into your weight loss journey:

• Walking your dog

• Biking with your kiddos, spouse, or friends

• Swimming

• Housework

• Yard work

• YouTube for yoga, pilates, zumba etc.

Pretty simple, right? Exercising without even knowing that you’re doing it! You can’t get any easier than that, plus no costly gym or yoga studio membership!

Plan like a pro: Simple tips for prepping meals ahead of time

One of the things that is a must for me in my weight loss journey is meal prepping. Meal prepping is a great way to save time during your busy week, juggling job and family. So try to devote 1-2 days per week to meal prep.

I meal prep for breakfast and lunch because those are the two meals I am busiest with work.

In the wintertime, I make a batch of steel-cut oats or quinoa in my rice cooker and refrigerate it for the week when I want something hot for breakfast.

For lunch, I will make a batch of chopped salads, either a Persian salad or my absolute favorite, the Jennifer Aniston salad.

Both salads require serious meal prep but will last up to four days since they each make about four cups or more per batch.

Daily habits for success: Making a routine to reach your weight loss goals.

Become a creature of habit. A good routine is necessary if you're serious about losing weight and keeping it off! In the first year of my weight loss journey, I tried to stick to the same diet as the pounds were melting off.

Now, two years later, I am venturing outside of my normal food items, but I still have my daily routine set:

• Weigh myself each morning

• 20 minutes of yoga

• A well-portion-controlled breakfast

• A later morning snack of fresh fruit if I’m still hungry

• A portion-controlled lunch

• A late afternoon snack of fresh fruit or a handful of nuts

• A healthy, organic dinner, either vegetarian or pasture-raised meat.

Setting goals you can reach: Making sure your weight loss dreams are real.

If you’re following a healthy lifestyle, counting calories, and controlling portions, you should lose about 1-3 pounds weekly. That is healthy weight loss. Anyone who tells you that they are losing more than that in a week with a fad diet is destined for possible failure.

This is why it took me 6 months to lose 40 pounds.

Be patient with yourself. You’re doing something extraordinary for your body; great things come to those who wait!

Celebrate small victories: Fun ways to treat yourself as you lose weight.

This is the part where I tell you it’s okay to treat yourself for a well-done job. Remember when I told you to rid your kitchen of lousy food items like ice cream, cookies, and chips?

This is where you can reward yourself with something if you’re losing weight. I reward myself with a new pair of yoga pants, jeans, or outfit.

But if you want an ice cream, then go for it! I would caution against buying ice cream for the house, as it will only tempt you to fall back into bad habits.

Instead, make an outing out of it with your family or friends. When I treat myself to the occasional ice cream, I stick to the kiddie cup instead of getting the large adult size. This way, I’m not entirely blowing all the hard work I’ve accomplished, and I still get to have the ice cream.

Changing your life for the better: How small habits can keep the weight off.

Three years after I started my weight loss journey, I’ve kept my weight off by following these steps.

This is my daily healthy lifestyle routine:

• Drink 8 ounces of water

• Weigh myself each morning

• Yoga for 20 minutes

• Drink more water

• Healthy breakfast

• More water

• Late morning snack, if I’m still hungry

• More water

• Healthy lunch

• Water

• Afternoon snack

• Water

• Healthy dinner

• Water

Don’t forget to treat yourself to a job well done when you see those pounds coming off. You’re doing something great for yourself, your family, and the planet!

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