3 Winning Strategies for Controlling Weight


 

Get moving... to burn more calories

To control or lose weight, it’s a good idea to burn more calories by becoming more active. The higher the intensity of the activity, the more calories will be burned. For example, in one hour, you burn about:

  • 200 calories when walking at a normal pace
  • 300 calories when walking briskly
  • 600 calories when jogging
You can burn as many calories by walking briskly for an hour as by jogging 30 minutes. Jogging is demanding but walking is something everyone can do, no matter your level of fitness or the condition of your joints. Swimming and cycling are also great options.

There is no need to sign up at the gym or to buy an expensive treadmill to get moving. All you have to do is to find activities that you like and that fit easily into your schedule and be active at least 30 minutes a day, ideally 60… or even more!

You also benefit by developing the habit of being active every day. You can take advantage of many opportunities throughout the day to move: use the stairs; carry your grocery bags home; get off the bus or metro one stop before your destination; park your car at the far side of the lot or go for a hike with friends or family.
 

 

Eat less calories... without going hungry

Contrary to many “miracle diets,” it’s better to eat if you want to control your weight. Otherwise, your body goes into famine mode and slows down your metabolism to burn fewer calories. A well-balanced meal will allow you to eat fewer calories without depriving yourself and at the same time fill your nutritional needs.

It’s the brain that lets you know you’ve had enough. It sends a signal when your stomach is full. To lose weight without feeling deprived, it’s better to choose foods that fill your stomach but contain fewer calories, such as those that make up a well-balanced meal.

Fruits and vegetables, as well as whole-grain cereal products contain sugars (carbohydrates) that give you energy quickly. These foods also contain fibre.

  • Fibre can absorb a lot of water. When it expands, it fills up the stomach, which leads us to eat less.
  • Fibre slows down digestion, giving you a prolonged sensation of fullness.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, tofu and dairy products contain proteins, which take more time to digest, therefore providing energy for a longer period. They prevent us from getting hungry between meals.


 

Listen to your body

In order not to overeat, we must learn to respect the signs of hunger and satiety. Hunger tells us when it’s time to eat, whereas satiety lets us know when it’s time to stop eating. For all kinds of reasons (boredom, stress, happiness, habit, gratification through food, etc.), we often don’t listen to these signs, with the result that we overeat. When it happens from time to time, there’s no need to worry. But when these signs are ignored on a regular basis, maintaining or losing weight might prove to be a bit more of a challenge.

A few tips to listen to your body:

  • Before you eat, ask yourself if you’re eating because you’re hungry or for another reason. Signs of hunger are an empty stomach or low energy. If neither sign manifests itself, maybe it’s best to wait a little longer if you can.
  • Avoid super-sized portions. We have a tendency to eat up to 30% more when presented with large servings.
  • There’s no need to “finish your plate” if you’re no longer hungry.
  • Eat slowly and take the time to enjoy every bite. This will enable you to be better in tune with what your body is telling you.
  • Wait a while before going for that second helping or having dessert. You will often realize that you’re not really hungry.
  • Don’t hesitate to have a snack between meals if you are hungry.
  • Don’t skip meals in order to lose weight. You may feel so hungry later on in the day that you won’t be able to control your appetite and will eat more–and not as well–as you usually do.

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