Nobody chooses to be unfit. At least, it's not a one-time choice but rather the result of a series of everyday choices that catch up to you over time. Having chocolate cake instead of fruit salad once isn't going to hurt you, but over a long enough period of time it will start to catch up to you. Similarly, you can't just choose to be fit, you have to earn it through a series of smart, healthy choices. Here's 5 very easy decisions that you can make TODAY which will help you in your quest to lose weight and become more fit.
NOTE: The "pounds lost per year" in this article is based on the fact that a pound of fat equals approximately 3500 calories. Obviously I don't guarantee you'll lose exactly that much weight (or any weight), but this is based on math so if you don't, look for something else you've changed in your life that would off-set your potential gains.
Instead of Getting Soda or Juice, Get Water
This one is a no-brainer. Sodas provide almost no nutritional value and bloat you with sugar and needless calories. Although fruit juice might seem like a better option, some fruit juices are loaded with sugar (sometimes even more than pop!). Instead of drinking these, why not drink water? For the price of a case of your favourite carbonated beverage, you could buy a Brita filter which will provide you with clean, delicious water for several months, saving your wallet as well as your waistline (water has no calories). Flavour it with Crystal Light if you have to, it's worth it.
Pounds Lost Per Year: 5 (cutting out 3-4 non-diet sodas per week)
Instead of getting mayonnaise or other fatty sauces/dressings, get mustard
Sandwiches and salads can be both tasty and healthy when done right, but the toppings you choose can derail your good intentions. A single tablespoon of mayonnaise has almost 100 calories. Two tablespoons of salad dressing, depending on the type, has about 150 calories and almost 16 grams of fat (so much for your healthy meal!). Instead of getting these fatty toppings, garnish with mustard which contains a measly 3 calories per pack. Alternatively, you can use hot sauce since most brands pack under 5 calories per serving.
Pounds Lost Per Year: 5 (cutting out Mayo or salad dressing 3-4 times per week)
Instead of getting cake for dessert, get some fruit
This is a no-brainer. Enjoying an unhealthy dessert every now and again isn't going to kill you, but making it a constant habit might. A single piece of commercially-sold chocolate cake runs about 300 calories, but check your brand because it ranges much higher. Factor in your mom's tendency to cut you a bigger piece (after all, you're still a growing boy!) and you have something akin to fitness suicide served on a plate. An apple or banana runs about 70 calories and is packed full of nutrition. Remember, it's easy to rationalize eating an unhealthy dessert because it's probably rare, but these small choices can have a big impact on your overall health.
Pounds Lost Per Year: Pounds lost per year 2-3 (eating an apple instead of an unhealthy dessert twice per month)
Instead of getting chips or crackers for a snack, make yourself another small meal
A serving of chips (about two handfuls) usually has between 200-300 calories, and most likely if you don't measure it out you're going to end up eating a lot more than that. Instead of going for the snack food when you get hungry, make a sandwich -- two pieces of whole wheat bread, some meat, and some vegetables will fill you up for longer and you'll be eating real food instead of something made in a lab.
Pounds Lost Per Year: If you do this every night, up to 15 pounds.
Instead of going out, stay in
I'm not saying you should never go out, but maybe limit it to once or twice per month. When you eat out you're more likely to spring for things that are unhealthy because going to a restaurant seems like a rare occurrence. In addition to this, you don't know the nutritional content of the food and have no idea how it's prepared. On the night when you'd normally go out, make a big deal about making a healthy, delicious meal and save yourself a ton of money and calories.
Pounds Lost Per Year: 5
By following these tips, you could stand to lose 20 pounds in the next year simply by making small changes to your lifestyle. Can you imagine what you'd look like if you weighed 20lbs less? How about what you'd feel like? Either way, those lost pounds could add years to your life and the minimal effort required to implement these choices is well worth it.
