The Smart Weight Guide: 20 easy ways to stay fit

01 Never go groceryshopping if yoursquore hungry There is nothing worse than standing in the chocolate aisle with a growling stomach in fact this is a sure shot recipe to grab and eat foods that are high in fat and sugar mdash read fattening02 Curl up and take that nap however small now Donrsquot feel guilty mdash itrsquos for your waistrsquos sake Shortened sleep science says increases our appetites by messing up our hormones So put your sleep cycle in order if you want your weight to budge03 Close your eyes and meditate Take out just 10 minutes every day for yourself to sit and reflect and quieten your negativity Itrsquoll help cut cravings and pause comfort eating mdash two common causes of love handlesAlso readFive celebs share their fitness mantras04 Cut TV viewing to size This is one of the best ways to avoid overeating and under exercising Studies show that the more TV you watch the less you move and the more you weigh And if soap operas are your nightly dinner companion yoursquore probably eating more too mindlessly so move the TV outside your dining room05 Dump sugar saturated drinks you can create a full fledged satisfying meal for the amount of calories some of them deliver Yes you can actually eat a sandwich fruit string cheese and whole grain crackers or baked chips for the same amount of calories Itrsquos easy to figure out whatrsquos better for you06 Put your gut in order Zero in on one fermented food yoghurt kimchi sour bread pickles dhokla every day and also ensure a daily dose of a good probiotic milk Straighten up the ratio of good bacteria to bad to lose weight and keep fatigue away too07 Choose the people around you very carefully Deliberately surround yourself by people who eat healthy identify that one or two person from your coterie of family and friends who you can count on to boost your morale and steer you towards exercise and lsquoright eatingrsquo And then touch base with them every day08 Watch out when you eat a salad lunch Donrsquot spoil it by drowning your lettuce in oil laden salad dressings Instead order your dressing on the side dip your fork into the dressing then skewer a forkful of salad Yoursquoll be surprised at how this tastes just right and how little dressing yoursquoll use09 Set your table for portion control Use tall skinny glasses for juice use salad plates to serve the main course hide those big dinner plates keep a big salad bowl at the table full to brim so that if you do decide to have seconds you automatically reach out for light and filling veggies not caloriedense meats or bread10 Donrsquot skip breakfast before stepping out The more you eat earlier on in the day the less you eat as the day wraps up And keep it balanced with a little fat and good amount of protein and carbohydrate This will keep you safe from a prelunch craving for a sinful treat11 Eat three to four servings of a fatty fish such as salmon tuna or mackerel each week Regular fish eaters tend to have lower levels of the hormone leptin in their body high levels of leptin have been linked to low metabolism and obesity12 Take a threeminute break every hour Breathe in deep and hold your tummy for a few seconds Aim for 10 to 15 squeezes per break Yoursquoll see your middle getting tones soon enough You can also do this when stuck at a red light or in a traffic jam during ad breaks in your fave programme on TV in fact whenever you remember13 Say no to cocktails and even mocktails They pack huge caloric punches The giggest offenders are creamy cocktails mdash these are almost equivalent to drinking a rich dessert The bottom line If yoursquore trying to lose weight stick with water or nimbu pani14 Do the napkin pat before wolfing down anything greasy Blot your food with a napkin to cut anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of grease and calories from pizzas samosas fries pakoras and the like15 Laugh as much as you can and at every opportunity Having a good giggle works all the muscles in your stomach and who doesnrsquot need toning up there16 Always grab a water bottle when stepping out of home There are just too many high calories beverages around mdash it helps to have an alternative always handy Plus people often mistake thirst for hunger so the next time you feel like noshing reach for the water first17 A pear for dessert Yes Levulose the sweetest of all known sugars is found much more in pears as compared to other fruits making it deliciously sweet and the fibre in it satisfies A winwin18 Get some sun every day if you wish to suppress your appetite prevent mood eating and related mindless munching Sunlight boosts production of moodboosting serotonin in the body that helps cut mood eating19 Munch on a handful of nuts for eg 6 walnuts or 810 almonds or 15 peanuts when feeling grubby mid meals In 20 minutes this will kill your craving and dampen your appetite20 Sprinkle highfibre seeds on your cereal It will help curb your appetite Add to yoghurt and cake mixes too Why Because fibre aids digestion and makes you feel fuller for longerKavita Devgan is a nutritionist weight management consultant health columnist and author of Donrsquot Diet 50 Habits of Thin People