THESE THREE TIPS COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

1. PUT THE FORK DOWN: This is a fairly simple concept to grasp, but it's not always an easy one. For each bite you take, set the fork down, take a drink of water and then continue with your meal. Repeat this process for each bite at each meal. You'll eat less, which will lead to fewer calories ingested. It takes your brain time to realize what you've just put into your mouth. The stomach and head don't always communicate effectively. So when you take the few extra seconds between each chew, it gives your brain time to process your food intake.

2. MOVE TO THE BACK: Have you ever seen those people who sit at the front of the parking lot with their signal on, waiting for someone to pull out of the space they want? Hopefully, you're not one of them, because if you are, you're missing a golden opportunity to burn extra calories every day. Weather permitting, just pull around to the back of the lot and take the log walk to the store. Every extra step is a step in the right direction. If you do this two or three times a day - and let's say you add 100 feet per walk - you'll add 400-600 extra steps every day. A common weight-loss concept is to walk 10,000 steps a day. If you can knock out 5% of that just by parking your car in a different spot, I think it's worth it.

3. 30 MINUTES A DAY: The government recommends that you get 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise to live a healthy life. For weight loss, you need to ramp that up, but if you're just looking to maintain, 30 minutes will do it. If you have 10 minutes of down time before work, use it. If you get a 30-minute lunch, take 10 and go for a walk. Before bed, take another 10 and simply walk up and down your steps at a moderate pace. Eventually, turn your 10 minutes into 15-20 minutes, and you'll exceed the minimum. You'll walk taller, feel better and live healthier.

source: www.chronicle.augusta.com