Ate 500 Fewer Calories A Day -
Yep, That’s What We Did In the 70s

What’s not to “like” about the 1970s: a recession, disco fashions and a cold war. But, hey, we were healthier, eating about 500 fewer calories per day. And that was a good thing.

So, researchers are thinking that since Americans consume about 500 more daily calories than the people did in the 1970s, that might be why Americans are also 19 pounds heavier on average today.

Start Walking 2 to 2 1/2 hours Every Day

That’s how much walking it would take to cancel out those extra 500 calories. Here are a few ideas to eat a little less while moving a little more:

Mushrooms: Yes, mushrooms..use chopped mushrooms instead of meat in the beef dishes you love so much, like chili, sloppy joes, lasagna, etc.
That will cut approximately 420 calories according to a recent study.

Cheese Options: There is nothing like cheese to make you feel like you are NOT on a diet. And the BEST of are? Best Spread: Boursin Light – Best Crumbles: Trader Joe’s Fat-Free Feta – Best Snack: Mini Babybel Light – Best Slices: Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone

Sausage: Guilt-free, not bland, spongy or icky: Jimmy Dean D-Lights Turkey Sausage

Smart Snacks: 100 calorie yummies, and cheap – 2 figs or 1 pear – 5 Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses – 12 almonds – 48 Rold Gold pretzel sticks – English muffin toasted with melted cheddar to cover the top – 1 Dannon Light & Fit Raspberry Smoothie – 1 Klondike Slim-a Bear fudge bar – 2 Dole frozen fruit juice bars – 1 heaping cup of cherries or 12 dried apricot halves – and if it’s Starbucks, it must be the 8 oz Caramel Macchiato with nonfat milk.

You CAN Shrink Your Stomach

We all know that most serving sizes are about the size of your fist. Did we know that dimming the lights will increase your comfort zone and lower your inhibitions, which could result in eating more. Does that mean no more romantic dinners in cozy restaurants? No, but just be aware knowing it isn’t always about what is ON your plate but where your plate is located.

Cutting restaurant meals in half is easier than you think if who you are eating with is willing split a dish. 76% of restaurants service 2-4 times bigger than serving size meals.

Thinking that availability, not hunger, should dictate how much we eat was brought to light in a study that found people ate more popcorn from a big tub than a small one – even when it tasted bad. So downsizing your dinnerware is a great option especially for those with “completion compusion” (thinking you’re not full until the plate is empty).

Supersizing your salad bowl will keep the volume and reduce the calories. Fill it foods that have lots of water, like tomatoes, carrots, grapes, greens, cucumbers, jicama, oranges, radishes. Almost any veggie and most fruits fall into the “lots of water” catagory. You can also think of eating foods that don’t come in packages (broccoli, peaches, apples, string beans, etc.)

Cut 220 Calories A Day With Your DVR

Research shows that people who stayed up late,  resulting in less sleep, munched down 220 more  calories per day than the early-to-bed-early-to-rise  crowd. The study showed the late nighters snacked  more but did not eat bigger meals. The snacks were mostly  high-carb foods eaten late at night.

 
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We’re still debating how much water to drink every day

The old recommendation of “eight 8-ounce glasses a day” doesn’t seem right for several reasons: it doesn’t take into account a person’s body weight, it includes all water from food and non-water beverages intake, and it varies if you’re sick or exercising.

Drinking 6 to 8 ounces of water when you wake up sets your “water body clock” for the day. Your body will want more water as the day goes on.

Drink more water – Drop more weight

Studies have shown that dieters who start each meal with a glass of water tend to drop more weight, over a period of time, compared to dieters who did not drink water and just did the diet.

In fact, dieters who where drinking the water as part of the weightloss program lost approximately 4.5 more pounds than the non-water drinking group. At about 44 percent faster, also. The study also showed that the drink-water-lose-more benefit varied by age and was not a factor for the younger adults.

75 Percent of Americans are Chronically Dehydrated

It is not a good idea to just drink when you are thirsty because dehydration has set in by then. So whether you need eight glasses of water a day or four or ten, most of us are not meeting our needs.

Here are a few good reasons to drink more water:   

Your blood is over 80 percent water, your bones are over 50 percent water, both need water to make healthy new blood cells and healthy new bone cells

Helps lessen pain in your body – Keeps your lymphatic system moving, eliminating waste and toxins from your body

Has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar, a great appetite suppressant

Alleviates dehydration, lubricating your joints, keeps your brain hydrated and thinking clearly with less headaches, gives you more energy

Could lower your risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses

Can clear up your skin, creating a healthy, glowing skin tone

Found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer

So, one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve your health and lose weight is to start drinking more water every day. Be sure to drink water on an empty stomach or you’ll simply be diluting your digestive enzymes and making your digestion less effective.

Find out how even slight dehydration can affect your mood, energy, and exercise habits