Each of us starts out with a plan to lose weight and get in shape. Some people have to eat healthy and exercise daily on the treadmill. For those who aren’t so disciplined, we can hire a personal trainer and nutrition consultant at home to help us exercise and learn how to eat safely. Even the most disciplined of people can fall prey to psychological traps that undermine their good intentions. Here are 7 psychological tricks that can make us thin.

Take Note

• Buy smaller clothes – You’ve all seen the sale racks where the cutest dresses are half off and half your size, but you only buy it for the “Day that I can fit into it”. This is the dress that ends in the closet for years, until you decide to donate it or give away. You will be upset if you buy clothing that is smaller than you actually wear. It is best to not buy it. It is best to first set a goal for weight loss before you purchase it. This will ensure that you are happy with it and you feel comfortable wearing it. Keep the smaller clothes for when it is possible to wear them. Then, you can buy them as a reward for achieving your weight loss goal.
• You can use smaller dishes – While it is great to use a smaller dish for your meal, if you end up eating twice as much or needing more food, you have simply failed the purpose. You don’t have to eat half the junk food. Instead, you can eat twice as much healthy food and use the same size plate as everyone else. Psychologically tricking your brain to believe you ate a lot of food can backfire, especially if you are still hungry. You’ll end up eating more and not feeling as full. You can eat a normal-sized plate, but make better food choices.
• Drink water before you eat – According to some, drinking several glasses of water before you eat can help you feel full. Although drinking several glasses of water per week is a good idea, you should also eat a balanced diet and get nutrients from real food. Drinking water before each meal will make it difficult to eat healthy food. You can save the water for between meals and when you feel the need to snack.
• Cheat because it’s the weekend, eat healthy throughout the week – This is so common that many diet plans have “cheat meals”, and “cheat days”. If you think you can only cheat at one meal or on one day of the week, you will undoubtedly overeat that day and possibly starve yourself for the rest of the week. This will lead to binging and “yo-yo dieting”, which is so common today. Many nutritionists will argue that cheating on weekends will increase your metabolism, but instead try to stay on track every day. Cheating or eating out on the weekend can lead to poor eating habits. Proper guidance will help you understand that certain foods can be enjoyed in moderation while following a healthy meal plan.
• Your clothes closet can be divided into sections for “fat days” and “thin days”. While every woman will gain or lose some weight over the years, others will gain or lose several sizes. However, many women end up with a closet that is full of clothes that range from singles to double digits. This creates a sense of acceptance that it is okay to go up or down in clothes size. Instead, set a standard, choose the clothes size you want, and stick to it. This will ensure that you don’t make excuses.
• You can buy individual snacks or low-calorie foods, and then eat the whole box. When you go to the grocery store, you feel like you made the right choice when you bought low-calorie cookies or popcorn. You will just defeat the purpose if you eat the entire box because it is sugar-free, fat-free, or low-calorie. Many times, we have good intentions but end up sabotaging ourselves by believing that low-calorie or fat-free is actually healthy.
• Use the word “diet” – Telling your friends you are on a diet will only make you look like a failure. You can’t eat too many chocolate-laden desserts on your way home from work. Or, you might end up buying one to explain to everyone why. It will be beneficial in the long-term to be able to identify what we do that can sabotage our weight loss efforts. Professional fitness assistance is needed if you aren’t sure what, when, or how to eat. A personal trainer can visit you at home to help you make healthy food choices, exercise properly, and break bad habits that could be hindering your healthy lifestyle.

Balance is Key

Try to balance your dinner by eating a variety of protein, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. You will be amazed at how satisfied your body is throughout the day, and how happy you feel when you get to the end of the week. You don’t have to find a 30- or 60-minute window in your day for exercise. Instead, you can take 10 minutes each morning, afternoon, and evening to do some aerobic exercise. You’ll be done in ten minutes and not have to worry about getting bored. This will increase your metabolism by three times per day, which will help you burn more calories. Any type of exercise can be done. Do a 10-minute speed walk, bike, or treadmill walk. Do a kick routine, jog or climb stairs.

Any exercise that gets your heart pumping is a good choice. You will feel more energetic and may even enjoy working out. You will lose more weight the more you move. You’ll notice a slimming effect on your body and an increase in energy if you do your daily chores while exercising. Side and back leg lifts can be done while washing dishes. You can also march while vacuuming by lifting your knees up. You can stretch your legs while picking up clothes and other items from the floor. You can jog down the hall, and do kicks while you mop. This workout routine can be creative. You can even use one of your 10-minute workouts to help you with your chores. This will allow you to accomplish two tasks at one time. Even one of these solutions can help you increase your metabolism and lose weight.