Quick tips for weight loss: beyond calories and exercise

If you're eating a healthy diet and exercising, how else can you support your weight loss goals? While we all should know by now that we have to cut calories and eat nutrient dense foods while moving more, there are other basic healthy behaviors that help achieve weight loss. Portion control, stress relief, and rest are essential components.

Portion control? Another factor in our diets, portion size has ballooned in the western world. We have no idea how much we're really eating. A lot of people view measuring and weight portions as a problem behavior. Learning how much I ate helped me lose 15 pounds.

Easy ways to control portion size without measuring include using smaller bowls and plates and not going back for seconds. Remember that a serving of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards. A bread serving is about the size of a hockey puck (Flyers fans know that, right?). A cup of fruits or veggies is the size of your fist (yes, there are apples in the store that equal four servings!). A rounded handful is a serving of pasta.

Most Americans do not get enough rest. We're tired and sluggish. This affects our moods and our can induce hunger, which leads us to overeat. Get in bed earlier and get an average of eight hours of sleep each night. With time, you may find yourself waking without an alarm. Need more proof? Many people with sleep apnea cannot lose weight because they never achieve REM sleep and never are fully rested.

Proper rest also reduces stress. People often eat to relieve stress. Exercise reduces stress levels and helps us deal better with stressful situations. Taking time for yourself can help lower your stress levels. If you're happier you will be a better at nearly everything and you will be happier if you achieve your weight loss goals.

Adding these simple habits to your lifestyle will help you achieve your weight goals and will bring you greater health and fitness. A healthy diet and exercise destroys stress so we don't eat in response to difficult situations and feelings. Eating appropriate amounts of healthy foods means fewer calories to burn. Being well rested gives us physical and mental strength in our daily lives and makes us more confident.