Lose Weight Without Losing Appetite

Becoming a mom has transformed my life in many ways. My children have brought me tremendous fun and joy, along with well, 20 lbs in weight gain. I hate to sigh at the beautiful dress that I can no longer fit in but in the meantime I don't want to give up my passion for great food. So I'm eagerly looking for a weight loss program that won't force me to follow a crazy diet.

My husband has successfully lost 25 pounds during the past six months. From his experience, the best way to lose weight is to combine a healthy diet and regular exercises. I'm happy to learn that healthy foods can be very tasty too. Here are a few tips he provided me:

1. Eat meals with smaller portions and take healthy snacks in between meals. He typically takes whole grain cereal for breakfast, garden salad or veggie burger for lunch and whatever I cook for dinner (with reduced portion size). Healthy snacks include fruits, low-fat yogurt and unsalted roasted nuts.

2. Start the day with fresh fruits like apples, peaches, and pears. You can go for smoothies if they taste better for you.

3. Limit the amount of meat in the meals. My husband found that he lost most weight during the two weeks when he had strictly meatless dishes. But since he's a meat lover, he decided to commit to less meat rather than no meat at all.

4. Check your weight daily at approximately the same time (preferably in the morning before breakfast). The daily weigh-in will help you track your progress and keep you motivated.

5. Work out for at least 30 minutes per day. Hubby loves running and aerobics. You can choose the format you feel most comfortable with. The key is to keep it up every day to ensure you burn enough calories.

6. Lose weight in a progressive and healthy manner. Rome wasn't built in one day. So don't push yourself too hard and try to shake off all the fat you've accumulated over years in a matter of days. It'd be advisable to find a coach or dietitian who can help you plan the pace of your weight loss journey. This will also help minimize rebound weight gain and health risks resulting from dramatic changes in your body and metabolism.

I was recently introduced to a website called Herbal Magic, where you can find a large collection of healthy recipes to help you pursue a healthier lifestyle while still being able to enjoy food. Be sure to check it out. Feel free to share your weight loss journey with me!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as part of the Niche Parent Network blogger program.