when someone says diet, what do we think?
restriction, denial, being hungry, starving, and other ideas surrounding eating less.
diets suck. they're hard to stick to in today's fast-moving world. and they can be even harder if you like desserts, which is my downfall!
most people can't stick with a new "diet" for a week, let alone the rest of thier lives!
losing weight is about making lifestyle changes, changes you will stick to- for life.
starving yourself, or following a super-restrictive diet will only lead to failure.
Tip 10: Eat smarter, not less!
for once, more can really lead to less. but you can't stuff cheetos in your mouth for every meal and hope for results. here's my 10-step process to making over your diet:
1. look at what you eat now. for 3 weekdays and at least 1 weekend day write down everything you eat or drink, including amounts and what time you ate. be honest. if you only write down your "perfect" days, this is going to get you nowhere. at the end of your observations, go online and find the calorie counts for everything you ate. (i personally use calorie king). it would also be very beneficial (especially for step #4) to find the amount of carbohydrates, fats, sodium, protein, etc. in all your food intake.
2. analyze HOW you ate and decide where you're making mistakes. if your fault is too many calories, then start there, consciously choosing lower-calorie items next time,and always picking water over soda. if you eat very randomly, and not on a set schedule, start there, by making a set time for each of your meals. if you eat late at night, right before hugging your pillow, start there and give yourself a "cut-off" time for munching (my personal "cut-off" time is 7.00 pm. but you should make it 2-3 hours before you plan to go to sleep). Also try to remember how you were feeling when you ate- where you hungry? bored? depressed?
3. analyze WHAT you ate and decide where you're making mistakes. are you getting too many carbs? too much protein? too much fat? too many processed foods? too much sodium? everyone has specific dietary needs. a good weight-loss diet is moderate in complex carbs (from whole wheat bread), has a good amount of protein (which keeps you from feeling hungry), has a little bit of healthy fat (from fish, or avacado for example), is low in sodium, and has alot of fruits and vegetables.
now that we've look at our "normal" habits and food intake, we can start to give our diet a makeover!
4. limit yourself to either 3 medium-sized meals and 2 small (100 calories approx. or less) snacks. OR limit yourself to 5 small meals and 1 snack (100 calories approx. or less). by eating smaller, balanced meals throughout the day, you can eliminate the hungry feelings and avoid overeating. for example, if you have a sandwich for lunch, split it in half- eat one half now, and the other half in two hours. youll eat the same, but youll get the satisfaction as if you were to have eaten two sandwiches. plus, every time you eat, your metabolism raises, so eating more small meals can do wonders for boosting your metabolism over the whole day.
5. try to get 5 fruits and 5 vegetables every day. it sounds like alot, but i personally see fruits and veggies as "free" calories (as long as they are eaten raw, or cooked without fatty oils and butter), which you can eat as often as you'd like. they are filled with fiber and water, and can make you feel full with very little calories. not to mention, they're filled with nutrition! apples and celery, along with many others are actually known as "negative-calorie foods" because they take more calories to digest than are actually in them. [more on this in a later post! :) ]
6. switch white bread, and all white bread products (including pasta!), for whole wheat or whole grain items. eating whole wheat bread has many benefits- it keeps you fuller longer than white bread because it is not as processed (and it has fiber!), it tends to have lower calorie counts, and the complex carbohydrates are perfect for your body to digest! theres plenty of low calorie whole wheat options- look at the label while you compare. the pasta aisle also has whole grain pastas in many shapes and sizes, you won't even notice the difference!
7. portion control! each meal should be no bigger than your fist. this will help shrink your stomach (within a few months) and you'll eat less, and feel fuller. [more on this in a later post! :) ]
8. watch your sugar intake. try to limit the amount of sugar you eat. there's many benefits to a low-sugar diet: lowered calorie intake, is one example. i think the best benefit of a low-sugar diet is the fact you don't "crash."
9. protein should be your power up. protein is healthy, usually found in low-calorie food, and it helps you feel full and satisfied. protein also helps build muscle, which is good if you're trying to lose weight. muscle, even while resting, burns calories. i personally love my morning protein in the shape of lowfat greek yogurt, but other good sources are lean meats (such as chicken), fish, and eggs.
10. eat within 30 minutes of when you wake up in the morning. this will jump start your metabolism after a night of fasting (you don't eat while you sleep, right?). if you wait to eat until you're hungry, you risk overeating. other benefits of eating a good breakfast are increased focus, and more energy throughout the day. skipping breakfast is a HUGE no-no!!!
i hope i've given you all some great idea on how to makeover your diet. remember, the key to a good weight-loss plan is permanence. quick weight loss is not the way to go, youll only gain it back, and then some. making good permanent lifestyle changes ensure you not only lose the weight, but keep it off. :)
Just Another Whale,
MyzzLyzz
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