Many women who are eager to shed unwanted weight opt to hit the gym and sweat it off. If you have neither the desire, nor the time, to do this, you do have other options. Women who don’t exercise do not have to resign themselves to a life of shopping in the plus-size section. In fact, an article in the Aug. 9, 2009, issue of “Time” magazine even reported that the benefits of exercise, according to some, have been overstated as many exercisers use their physical activity as an excuse to treat themselves, negating their hard work. While losing weight without exercise is not a simple task, with attention to your food intake, and dedication to diet modification, you can accomplish the feat.
Step 1
Change the type of food you eat. Trade the fat-heavy foods that currently fill your diet for lean proteins, veggies and fruits along with a selection of whole grains. These foods are not only less likely to cause you to gain or retain weight, but they are also better fuel for your functioning body.
Step 2
Focus on portion reduction. Educate yourself on proper portion size by reading food packaging closely. Work to avoid going over these portion sizes, as over-consumption is a common weight-gain causer and weight-loss inhibitor.
Step 3
Keep a food journal. Stay on top of what you are eating to ensure that extra calories don’t sneak into your well-planned diet. Because you don’t intend to exercise, limiting your calories is paramount. Write down everything you eat, recording the number of servings as well as the type of food.
Step 4
Calculate your calorie consumption. Use a calorie-counting tool, such as a calorie reference book or a free website, to assign a calorie value to each food in your journal. Add up your calories each day to determine how much fuel you put into your body.
Step 5
Determine your daily calorie needs. Use your age, height, and build type to determine how many calories you need to eat. Use a diet reference book or a website to accomplish this task.
Step 6
Review your journal, and modify to align your consumption with your needs. If your calorie intake is higher than it should be, look back through your food records and determine what you could cut out of your daily diet. Consider which foods carry the most calories yet offer few nutritional benefits, and remove these items from your diet.
