A healthy weight is essential for disease prevention and overall health. Between work deadlines, family responsibilities and other everyday activities, busy women may find it difficult to schedule gym workouts or prepare elaborate home-cooked meals. By making a few simple changes in eating and exercise habits, busy women can lose weight with time and energy to spare.
EAT BREAKFAST
Breakfast plays an important role in weight loss by preventing mid-morning hunger and providing energy for physical activities. Even if you don't have time to cook breakfast every morning, you can still squeeze in a healthy breakfast. Try nutritious and convenient options like a fruit smoothie made with low-fat yogurt or oatmeal topped with dried berries and almonds. Even something as simple as a handful of whole wheat crackers or a low-fat cheese stick can help keep you full and energized until lunchtime.
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CUT PORTION SIZES
Reducing the amount of food you eat at each meal is an easy way to lose weight. Sharing a meal with a friend, skipping dessert and taking home part of your meal for later can help reduce portion sizes when dining out. Putting foods on smaller plates and eating more slowly are good ways to adjust to smaller portion sizes at home. To prevent overeating when snacking, take only a small portion and avoid eating directly from the bag.
BE MORE ACTIVE
Regular exercise is essential for losing weight. While busy women may not have time for the gym, plenty of other convenient and effective options exist for meeting your daily exercise goals. The recommended amount of daily exercise for adults is 30 minutes, though it doesn't have to occur all at once. Breaking exercise into shorter periods of 10 minutes apiece can make working out easier for busy women. MayoClinic.com suggests finding ways to work exercise into your everyday routine, such as walking during your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. When watching television or engaging in other sedentary activities, take a five- to 10-minute break for exercise every hour or so. Jumping jacks, abdominal crunches, yoga and dance are effective exercises that can be done in the comfort and privacy of your home.
SNACK SMARTER
Snacking between meals is an excellent way to maintain energy and prevent hunger. Choosing healthy snack foods in the right proportions is the key to smarter snacking. Busy women can save time by cutting up fruit, putting food in containers and handling other preparation tasks in advance. Eat tasty, low-calorie foods like baby carrots, low-fat yogurt, rice cakes and whole-wheat pretzels.
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