Weight control is a persistent problem for many of us. Our intentions are good, but follow-through is difficult. We are constantly bombarded with advice on how to lose weight and how important weight management is to our health *. But our busy lives make it difficult to take control of our daily routine. We eat without thinking or enjoying our food. We don’t seem to have time to exercise. So what is a person to do? How can a busy person find ways to maintain or lose weight? Here are 10 easy ways to help you take charge. No matter how busy you are, you can do these things.

All of these suggestions involve little or no expense. They are lifestyle changes designed to help women (and men) have a healthier body.

1. MOVE IN!

  • park your car further away and walk to shops or the mall
  • hide your TV remote and get up to change channels
  • using stairs instead of elevators or escalators
  • walk up and down every aisle at the grocery store even if you don’t need anything in that aisle
  • do not lean on the shopping cart, stand tall and push the cart
  • every time you feel, feel guilty!

2. REDUCE your calorie intake

  • cut back on the amount you eat, watch the portion size, and try to keep it cell phone size or smaller (unless it’s vegetables that are good for you)
  • when eating at a restaurant, order a take out box right at the beginning and put half of your food there BEFORE you eat
  • don’t eat in front of the TV or while talking to friends (you’re too distracted and may eat a LOT more than you should)
  • put your fork between EACH bite and stop for a second or two.

3. CLEAN house

  • as much as you hate doing this, it burns calories. For example, mopping the floor and vacuuming consumes 238 calories per hour (assuming a person weighs 150 pounds), dusting and taking out the garbage is 170 calories per hour, making the bed is 136 per hour, and washing the windows is 204 calories. / hour. House cleaning adds up. And all that bending, bending, walking and pushing adds to the activity.

4. WALK the dog or your children

  • If you don’t have a dog, volunteer to take a friend or neighbor’s dog for a walk every day.
  • go to the local animal shelter and volunteer to clean the stalls or take the dogs for a walk
  • take your kids for a walk. Your children will love having your company and will learn the importance of walking.
  • Find a local park and visit it. He does not sit on the bench looking at the children. At least get up or walk with them. Throw a ball with them. Do some kind of activity with them.

5. TRAIN at work

  • take little breaks every hour at your desk. Use your chair for triceps, do push-ups on the floor, sit-ups, push-ups if you have an entry
  • Use your lunch break to take a walk or go up and down the stairs
  • Don’t call a coworker when you can walk to their office.

6. GET UP

  • when talking on the phone, wander around
  • stand up when reading a book, talking to friends / family, or watching TV.

7. BIKE or walk at least once a week

  • Dust off the bike that you kept in the garage or shed and start riding it. Ride your bike to the corner market to buy some groceries or strange things.
  • Find a nature trail and visit it every weekend. You can find hiking trails near you online or ask at an outdoor retail store if they know where they can be found.

8. USE an exercise ball to sit on your desk

  • You know those big round balls you see at gyms or at the sports store? Well, move the chair away from your computer and sit on the ball. It will take some getting used to, but it really helps firm your core muscles to build stability. Yes, this counts as exercise. Now you probably won’t be able to wear this at work, but if you work from home OR spend long hours in front of the computer, sit on the ball. While you’re at it, use the exercise ball while watching TV and do sit-ups or just sit on it.

9. COOK at home more

  • This can burn 136 calories per hour with everything you do standing and walking. It will also save you money because eating at home is cheaper than going out to eat. You can involve your family in setting the table, loading or emptying the dishwasher, helping with cooking and washing dishes. This can become a family ritual and help everyone get around.

10. SEX

  • Kissing and hugging burns 68 calories / hour, moderate sexual activity burns 88 calories / hour, and highly active sex burns 102 calories / hour. So put this on your agenda. Make sure to practice safe sex with birth control.

This gives you some simple suggestions for incorporating more activity into your day that won’t cost you money or at least very little money.

Now if you belong in a gym, then USE IT. Get up earlier in the morning or visit the gym at lunchtime or in the evening. But use the gym again. If you don’t belong to a gym, check out your local YMCA. They have very reasonable memberships and they have programs geared towards the whole family.

The bottom line is to be more active. Work it into your day and it will help you maintain your weight or even lose some weight. An added benefit of exercise is that it relieves stress. Don’t put this off until next month or after family members come to visit you or after you feel better or any other excuse. JUST DO IT!

* A study was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that can be a bit daunting. Dr. Lee of Harvard Medical School in Boston examined 34,079 healthy women between 1992 and 2007. All of the women were 45 years of age or older with an average age of 54. An average of 5.7 pounds was gained in the study. However, women with a normal weight and a body mass index of less than 25 maintained their weight if they exercised 60 minutes a day. Women who exercised less generally gained weight. JAMA magazine published this and sparked a wave of talk show experts trying to help women understand and deal with the findings. As you may recall, the federal guidelines thus far have suggested 150 minutes per WEEK of moderate to vigorous activity and this was to help prevent illness and stay healthy.