Get moving...

It doesn’t matter how or when you move, since any form of moving around burns more calories than sitting still. Simple additions to calorie burn-up can result in a loss of a few pounds in a month. Try a pre-dinner walk, a lunchtime stroll, or walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walking to the grocery store instead of driving will also save on carbon emissions and gasoline costs.

You can even burn off more calories at your desk, while strengthening your core muscles, by investing in an exercise ball as a seat (See page 18). As added incentive, consider buying a pedometer. Studies show that this little device acts as inspiration to walk more, further contributing to your caloric output.

Eat more fruit, veggies & protein

Full of fibre and goodness, vegetables and fruits will help you keep full and feeling energetic. Vegetables usually contain fewer calories than fruit due to their lower sugar content. Try a yam for lunch, with a couple of spoonfuls of unsweetened apple sauce for an instant and tasty fibre boost, add fibre-rich strawberries to your salad, or beans to your evening meal.

Making sure you get enough lean protein for breakfast will help stave off hunger pangs later on in the day. You may want to try a protein supplement, which may be added to a smoothie, or to your favourite yogurt.

Channel your inner Frenchwoman

The subject of books and weight-loss programs, the traditional French way of eating helps ensure your diet is never restrictive. Better still, the French boast that they eat whatever they want without increasing bodyfat.

Here’s why:

The French never rush their food. Although breakfast is
traditionally light and often eaten on the run, lunch is often a two-hour affair and dinner even longer. The key differences are that portion sizes are very small and, since there are long spaces between courses, the brain has ample time to receive the message that the appetite has been satiated. As a result, calories remain “on the plate” and not the hips.

Since working Canadians rarely have more than an hour in which to eat lunch, we tend to eat fast. By the time the brain receives the message that the stomach is full (usually in 20 or so minutes), more food has been consumed than is really necessary. This problem is compounded by the large portion sizes traditionally served in North America. Many restaurants will be happy to place half of your serving in a take-out box if you ask them to before your meal is served.