While living a greener lifestyle is obviously good for the planet, it can also be a healthy weight loss tool. By making a few changes to your lifestyle, the pounds will melt away and the environment will be in better shape, too.
Before you start, use a free lose weight calculator to determine your own personal weight loss goals and a realistic timescale. Then incorporate some of the ideas below into your weekly routine.
Food
Healthy eating options are widely available if you know where to look and are willing to plan ahead.
*Check out farmers markets – Consuming locally grown food has received a push in recent years. This ensures the fruits and vegetables are the freshest available, likely were grown without dangerous pesticides and supports local producers. Snacking on fruits and vegetables helps eliminate cravings for junk food and eating seasonal foods increases variety in your diet.
*Plan ahead & buy in bulk - Experiment with whatever fresh ingredients are available locally and make big batches of delicious stews or soups that you can store in the freezer. These make a healthy alternative to store-bought ready-meals when you’re pushed for time, and you’ll save gas by not having to drive to the grocery store so often!
*Pack lunch – Use a reusable container to take lunch to work. Buying on the go can make it far too easy to purchase something high in calories and loaded with chemicals. Packing a lunch gives an opportunity to use those fruits and vegetables bought at the farmers market, as well as providing control over what is being eaten. The reusable container means not throwing extra trash in a landfill.
*Share – If dining out cannot be avoided, especially at a fast food establishment, share a meal with a spouse or friend. Many times these meals are more than one person needs, so sharing can save on calories. It will also reduce the amount of packaging that needs to be thrown away.
Exercise
While eating healthy is important, exercising is essential to weight loss also. Many people have a problem working out when it is defined as such, so avoiding a straight forward work out session in a gym may be advisable. There are still plenty of eco-friendly ways to get exercise without really thinking about it.
*Drive less – Walk or ride a bike to run small errands, such as returning movie rentals, or even to work if possible. Less fuel will be used while increasing cardiovascular activity. The more often this is done, the easier it will become to do, and it should become a healthy habit.
*Volunteer – Staying active for a good cause makes people feel good inside and out. Walking dogs at the local Humane Society, working a trash pickup route or helping to clean up area parks are all ways to get some exercise while improving the neighborhood.
*Garden – Planting a garden provides several benefits. Digging, planting and weeding offers exercise opportunities, while the fresh vegetables can be used in the diet. It is also cheaper than buying them in the store, and you will save on food miles by growing your own and not buying produce that has been transported long distance.
*Turn it off - Plan a day a week to turn all electronics off and find something else to do, such as practice a sport with the children. The machines will use less electricity and some quality time will be spent with the family while also engaging in physical activity.
Losing weight doesn’t have to mean starvation and driving to a gym five days a week. There are easy ways to eat healthy and get exercise while performing everyday routines. The ideas here will help you drop pounds and achieve your weight loss goals while keeping the environment healthy too.
This guest post is from writer Rita Gorman, who found it helpful to use an exercise weight loss calculator to figure out how long it will take her to reach her ideal weight. She has fitted the ideas above into her weekly schedule and is enjoying losing weight in a way that in beneficial for the environment too.
