5 Simple Things Slim People Do To Stay Lean

It's been shown over and over that 95% of diets in the market place don't work, yet with the dawn of every new year loads of new diets hit the shelves with a plethora of people chasing them in order to hopefully burn fat and shed those pounds.

The problem is that people are doing the same thing year in year out but expecting a different result. Most diets are complicated and not easy to follow and we all know from the get go that they are a bad attempt to fix a problem where they usually provide minimal if any results.

You might be surprised but getting or staying slim doesn't require any of the fad diets out there on the market. When you do the research, most people who are slim or lean, are that way because of simple behaviors that they do each day that amounts to a more healthy lifestyle.

There the old saying that the simple things are often the best and it's true, they are simple and they work. These simple slimming shortcuts are easy to do. If you want a different result and you have to try something different and by swapping your old yo-yo dieting ways, it'll save time and plenty of heartache because including these simple behaviors into your life will result in a slimmer healthier you.

1. Consistency Counts

So out with the old fad diets and in with the new approach to eating and exercising. That's right, consistency counts for both what you eat as well as your weekly exercise regime. You want to be able to stick with your new eating and exercising habits so think about it like this - Can I see myself eating like this as well as exercising this amount over the long term? It's unsustainable to eat like a sparrow for the rest of your life. So you need to find good healthy fresh food recipes that are easy to make as well enjoyable to eat.

Same goes with your exercise regime. Most people will never be able to stick with a plan of exercising 2 hours per day 7 days per week. So plan out your exercises and at least aim to do that routine a minim of 3 times per week. That is sustainable. Remember that you should be thinking of this as a permanent lifestyle change. Not a 3 week fad and then you go back to bad habits and pile all the weight back on again.

Research has shown that people who consistently eat a healthy diet as well as exercise on a weekly basis, are 1 1/2 times more likely to maintain their weight loss than those who are sporadic with their diet and exercise regime. So as you can see it's consistency which counts a lot with this.

2. Planning Ahead

Don't rely on some miracle pill or fad diet to get the body you want. The majority of people who are slim or lean are that way for a reason. They take a little time out of their week to plan for the next week. That's for both diet as well as exercise but is especially so when it comes to their diet. Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

Taking an hour or two out of the weekend to prepare your healthy meals for the week ahead will save you time, money and help drop those extra pounds. It's those times when you haven't planned out and made your meals and your feeling hungry that temptation will take hold. This is where people tend to buy whatever's nearby, and this usually results in high calorie junk foods of some sorts, leading to weight gain.

Studies have shown that people who planned and prepared their weekly meals lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off over the long term.

Also if you haven't got an exercise regime in place, then plan out in advance what exercises you'll be doing for the week ahead. If your exercise sessions are diarized you'll be more prone to stick to those sessions as opposed to exercising when you remember to.

Remember as Benjamin Franklin said, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

3. Frequency of Meals and Exercise

Sticking to 3 main meals a day clearly hasn't helped burn fat and shrink the waist lines of many. Research has shown the benefits of eating smaller portioned more frequent meals, such as raising your metabolism, keeping your blood sugar steady, and your appetite in check.

It's been show that having too long a period between meals can lead to people skipping meals. A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showed that women who skipped meals lost about 8 pounds less than those who ate more consistently.

The same goes for your exercise plan. Many people don't plan when they'll exercise and do it on a more ad hoc basis. Studies have shown that when people had a planned out exercise regime more often than not they stuck to it forming a new and healthy habit.

So it's important to know what exercises you'll be doing for the week ahead as well as when and how long each session will be. At a minimum aim for 3 days per week.

4. Food

Technically we are designed to consume food to supply our body with the nutrients it needs to repair, build and maintain a healthy body. However these day's it's more about how it looks and how it tastes. Don't get me wrong, you should enjoy the food you eat but making healthy choices is vital to not only lose weight but to keep your body in a healthy state.

Your body is built on what you eat, so if you eat plenty of high calorie junk foods and drinks then this will show up on and in your body.

So collect healthy recipes and make them with fresh food ingredients. There are literally millions of healthy recipes and meal ideas out there that are super yummy so there is no excuse. By incorporating tasty, healthy eating habits into your weekly routine you'll start to feel better, have more energy, have improved skin, hair, nails and you'll see how that stubborn weight will start dropping off.

I always say that you should be able to sneak a little treat or two into your weekly eating habits like having a cheat day. Just remember that those who are slim and lean eat well most of the time and treat themselves a little along the way.

Remember that doing these simple steps each day will become a lifestyle change for the better.

5. Snacks and Drinks

This is an important one because as we have discussed, eating smaller portioned more frequent meals throughout your day will include snacks. But when I am talking about snacks I don't mean snacking on a muffin or two or donuts and high calorie junk foods like that. Having more frequent meals keeps you fuller for longer so you'll find that you don't need to eat as much at each meal - hence the term "smaller portioned meal."

Way too many people eat far too much when having a snack. Remember that 1/4 of your daily calories can come from your snacks if you don't chose the right one. The same goes for choosing the wrong drink. So many people pack on the pounds by drinking their calories. So smarter choices need to be made when snacking or consuming drinks.

Your healthy snack can be a small portion of a left over meal from the night before through to a piece of fruit and a small handful of mixed nuts. Remember that it's not just about the size of the snack or meal, it's also about the quality. Same goes for what you chose to drink. A standard can of some sodas can contain up to 13 teaspoons of sugar. And for those who consume diet drinks in the hope they'll help them keep the pounds off, studies are now showing that these will not help burn fat and shed the weight, but actually trick your body into storing more body fat not less.

So there you go, these simple slimming shortcuts are easy to do and incorporate into your everyday lives. So take some time each week to plan out and include these simple behaviors that will help you to lose weight and achieve a more healthy lifestyle.

Stay healthy,

Paul

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Paul Scicluna:
No. 1 International Best Selling Author, and Health, Fitness and Weight Loss Expert

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