10 Secrets of the Effortlessly Thin

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I love reading. This next article is just a few simple tips on lifestyle/nutrition. Sometimes the articles I read go right out the window and sometimes I pick up something that stays with me forever. I think it's important to fill your brain with as much info on exercise and nutrition as possible so you can implement your favorites and use what works for you.

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10 SECRETS OF EFFORTLESSLY THIN PEOPLE

1. THEY DON'T DIET
Or at least not in the traditional, all-or-nothing, deprivation sense of the word. "You need to get rid of that diet mentality and realize that what you are doing is making a permanent lifestyle change . . .

2. THEY KEEP TRACK OF THEIR WEIGHT
It's not about a having an unhealthy fixation on that number on the scale, but it's a way to catch a 5-pound gain before it suddenly turns into a 20-pound gain.

3. THEY EXERCISE REGULARLY
Nine out of 10 people who've lost weight and maintained it exercise regularly and make it a critical part of their lives.

4. THEY DON'T SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH FOOD
When you are upset (or bored, lonely, frustrated or angry), ask yourself: Is food really going to solve the problem, or will it just end up making you feel worse after you finish eating? Chances are, the food won't fix what's bothering you, so it's important to come up with a list of other small pleasures you can turn to instead of food.

5. THEY STOP EATING WHEN THEY'RE FULL
Most thin people are not members of the clean-plate club. Instead of mindlessly eating however much they are served, they pay attention to internal hunger cues.

6. THEY DON'T SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH TEMPTATION
Rather than stocking the cupboards with junk food, thin people's kitchens tend to be filled with healthy foods. That doesn't mean you can never have any indulgences in the house, just that you shouldn't have so many that you're likely to overeat them.

7. THEY ALLOW THEMSELVES TREATS
So if it's chocolate you want, don't try to eat around the craving with an array of foods that don't really satisfy you. Instead, allow yourself to have a small but really delicious chocolate bar and put the craving to rest.

8. THEY EAT BREAKFAST
According to the National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the habits and strategies of more than 5,000 people who have maintained a significant weight loss, nearly 80 percent of these successful losers eat breakfast every single day.

9. THEY MOVE, STAND AND FIDGET MORE
Researchers found that on average, a group of lean subjects sat for two hours a day less than the obese subjects, potentially burning up to 350 additional calories.

10. THEY DON'T SKIP MEALS
Going more than six hours without food will slow down your metabolism, plus you'll likely get so desperately hungry that you'll grab anything (as opposed to something healthy) and eat too much of it.

Article taken from MSN.com Diet & Fitness, to view in it's entirety click here