Women are the ultimate multi-taskers. We are so busy working hard and taking care of everyone else that sometimes we don't have enough time left to take care of ourselves. Even with a full plate (no pun intended), it is possible for you to lose weight. Here are 9 simple weight loss tips for super busy working women.
1. Don’t Skip Meals
We’re all guilty of it! But skipping meals can actually prevent weight loss and cause weight gain by slowing down the metabolism and causing blood sugar levels to plummet. This phenomenon leads to overeating during the next meal.
2. Break Up Your Work Out Routine
It can be hard to consistently chisel 30 or 60 minutes of your day. Therefore, try breaking up your work out into three 10-minute workouts throughout the day. Squeeze in a quick in-home workout before work, some squats, sit-ups or push-ups during lunch, and a nice walk or jog after work. Think about it: we are accustomed to doing a lot of little things here and there to save money (clip coupons, buy store brands, etc.) because it saves time and the savings add up. So, let’s treat exercise the same way! A little activity here and there will save us time and the results will add up if done consistently.
3. Eat Smaller Portions
Eating less does not cost more time or money. Most people require 1,200-1,500 calories/day to drop pounds in a healthy way. For many, this means smaller portions, skipping dessert or foregoing second helpings.
4. Celebrate Small Steps Towards a Healthy Lifestyle
Ditch the all or nothing mentality. Every small step you make towards a healthier lifestyle counts and should be celebrated! People often have the misconception that they have to kill themselves at the gym or forsake all of their favorite foods to be healthy; therefore, they quit before starting and don’t even try. Rather than looking at the entire day as either a success or failure, try to make every decision towards health count. For example, just because you ate one bad meal doesn’t mean you should blow the rest of the day, and if you didn’t hit the gym that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch your calorie intake.
5. Make Simple Food Swaps
Many food swaps throughout the day can save you major calories. How about fruit for a snack rather than candy? Or a side salad as opposed to a side of fries? Remember, drinks have calories too! Try drinking more water than juices and sodas. Another easy example could simply be using less sugar in your coffee.
6. Stand More, Sit Less!
Don’t sit when you can stand! Too much sedentary behavior is never a good thing. Get off your bum. Even James Brown said it . . . Get Up!
7. Use Weekends Wisely for Extra Time To Exercise
You may not have the most time during the week to work out so use the weekend. If you can get in 120 minutes of exercise over the weekend, you probably only need small amounts of time throughout the week to reach your 150 minute goal. If your weeks are filled with grueling hours, use the weekend for meal prep, grocery shopping and thinking about your plan for the week ahead.
8. Get Adequate Sleep
Missing out on sleep can actually cause weight gain. When we are tired, we have less energy to work out and we often overdose on high sugar foods and drinks to help keep us awake. Research has shown that people with adequate sleep burn more calories at night than those with less amounts of sleep. In addition, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is linked with lower rates of body fat.
9. Have Healthy Snacks On Desk
When in doubt, keep a stash of healthy snacks in your purse, car or desk drawer just in case those cravings kick in. Protein based snacks or those with healthy carbs are usually recommended.
Remember, regardless of how busy you are, you can conquer your weight loss journey!
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