IF you’re ready to lose weight and keep it off, studies show that much of your success will depend upon your ability to slowly introduce healthier habits into your life and make them permanent. In other words: If your plan includes starting an extreme new diet and a crazy-hard new fitness regimen all at once, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Here are some of the simplest ways to lose weight starting now. 1. Don’t put healthy things in your fridge drawers “When you open the fridge, the first thing you see isn’t a vegetable — why?” asks nutritionist Candice Seti. “Because your veggies are hidden away in those drawers at the bottom. So when you open the fridge looking for a snack, you are way less likely to go for veggies.” For this same reason, she says, you shouldn’t hide away your healthy snacks in opaque containers. “You are much more likely to choose things you can see, meaning wrapped in saran wrap or clear Tupperware, not things hidden in tinfoil. So keep your veggies and healthy food options in clear containers and hide the junk away in the drawers.” 2. Set a kitchen closure time “Limiting your kitchen access can help cut down on unnecessary eating at night, and you can do this by enforcing a kitchen closure time,” says Seti. “Just like a restaurant closes at a certain time, your kitchen can, too! So if you feel you are no longer hungry after 9 p.m. and any eating you do after that is just mindless grazing or boredom eating, that time could be your kitchen closure time.” 3. Eat some vegetables before going out to eat “One tip I like to give my clients is to start each meal by eating the vegetables,” says Dr. Sunny Brigham, a board-certified clinical and integrative nutritionist. “Ensure they’re the star role of each meal and consume them first.” Vegetables are obviously filled with nutrients that feed your metabolism. And they take up more space in the belly pouch. 4. Eat more resistant starch “Resistant starch is a type of starch that — as the name suggests-resists digestion and makes its way to the gut where it specifically fuels the good gut bacteria, acting more similarly to fiber in that it helps you feel very satisfied,” says Dr. Kara Landau. “So much so, that science has shown that when you consume protein and resistant starch together at one meal, you actually end up eating far less at your next meal, leading to greater feelings of satiety, as well as having increased fat oxidation, which can aid in overall weight loss.” 5. Celebrate small accomplishments “Celebrating your small victories will build self-confidence and lead you to make bigger goals and accomplishments,” says Dr. Lisa Reed. “ Even if you tackle one flight of stairs or one push-up-pat yourself on the back. Never forget that enthusiasm breeds more enthusiasm.” 6. Eat a protein-heavy breakfast “Put together a breakfast that focuses on protein to keep you fueled until lunchtime,” advises Dr. Christa Brown. “A recent study suggests that a high protein breakfast drastically reduces the desire to splurge on random snacks throughout the day. If you’re not hungry, and want something cool and light, put together a cup of smoothie with Kefir or yogurt as the base. 7. Eat “B.A.S.” for lunch Eat “Big Audacious Salad,” keep it clean and green-mixed field greens, raw spinach, basil, cilantro, radishes, cucumber, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, carrots, cabbage of any color, and pretty much any other veggie you want. Feel free to add in an extra kick of protein, add black beans, red beans, or chickpeas. This is amazing for detoxification of the liver and cleansing the colon, not to mention it keeps glycemic impact lower, which means you have more energy and don’t store your food as fat. 8. Play tricks on your mind Successful dieters are often experts at deploying one of the oldest tricks in the weight loss book: the art of self-deception. And one of the best methods for tricking yourself into eating less is to try and make your meal look as big as possible. “If you’re eating some cheese, be sure to grate it and spread it to cover a larger surface area versus slicing,” advises Dr. Shena Jaramillo, noting a couple of great tricks you can try. “If you’re having salad dressing, use a small amount and shake up the salad in a Tupperware versus letting it all sit on top.” (SD-Agencies) | 