There are many reasons why a person becomes overweight, from leading a sedentary lifestyle and getting little or no exercise to eating a completely unhealthy diet, but almost all of those reasons can be turned around by changing bad habits into good ones. Some of the best tips for weight loss involve simple switches in habitual ways of doing things and here are some of the ways in which these simple alterations can add up to making a big difference in the way you look.

The first area to take notice of is how much exercise you are giving yourself on a day to day basis. If you find that you are spending far too much time sitting still, say in front of a computer console, at a desk, driving in a truck or bus, or merely logging the long hours in front of the TV, you can do some very simple things to make a big difference in your health and body weight.

The TV saps the very life from you because it can become addictive and it gets hard to drag yourself away from it even if what you are watching is total rubbish. So make the effort and switch it off. Then you’ll have no excuse for sitting there unless staring at the blank screen still has you mesmerized like a startled rabbit caught in a car’s headlights. Get up and go do something, like getting out of the house and going for a long walk in the fresh air. Do that every day and you’ll be surprised at how your health improves and your body weight begins to reduce.

The next area is, of course, what you are eating and drinking. If the bulk of your food is processed, drive-thru or junk, topped off with cakes or donuts and washed down with soda, then you must change, or face heading towards an early grave in a very heavy coffin. Ditch the soda and start drinking plain water, or herbal teas for refreshment. This will cut down your sugar and additive intake by a huge amount. Switch from processed and junk foods to healthy, fresh and wholesome home-cooked meals. If you can’t cook, then learn how. It can be very rewarding and another excuse to get away from the TV to spend time in the kitchen preparing and making healthy food for yourself (and your family).

whole almondsAlso, who says everything you eat has to be cooked? Try making at least one meal per day a “whole food” meal. Set out a variety of fresh cut fruits and vegetables, cheeses, nuts and other fresh foods that you enjoy. The key is to avoid processed foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats and additives.

These simple habit changes will lead to weight loss and improved health, so they are well worth putting in the effort to make them happen.