Lose Weight but Eat More (of the right stuff!)
We live in a food jungle, surrounded by a plethora of options requiring over 100 food related decisions each day! Its enough to break the strongest will power. Not to mention one already compromised by stress, hunger, fatigue, or all of the above. What’s the secret to controlling your weight and improving your health? Training your brain to recognize and stick with healthy servings of food. The following tricks will help you get and stay on track:
Remember that diet quality matters most. Every snack or meal should contain a high fiber food (think fruits and vegetables), a high protein food or a combination of both. Protein is more satiating (than carbs) and helps regulate blood sugar and blunts hunger. Fiber rich foods fill you up with very few calories and come with major health benefits (think lower risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer).
Smart size your meals. Using portion control as your primary healthy-eating strategy allows you to eat almost any food you like while keeping your calories in check. Pull out the food scale and measuring cups to determine your precise portions for a few weeks. You’ll likely be surprised to learn you regularly eat 2-3 times the recommended portion size. And remember that calories from healthy foods count too! Watch out for excessive portions of fruit, nuts, dairy and protein. When people think a food is ‘healthy” they tend to underestimate the calories in that food. Too much of a good thing is still too much.
Never go more than 5 hours (during the day) without eating. No one likes a “hangry” friend/spouse/co-worker. A well timed snack keeps hunger from reaching an uncontrollable level, which typically leads to impulsive food decisions and overdoing it on portion sizes.
Plate every food at every meal. Even snacks. Serving your salad or chicken on a plate seems like a no-brainer. But you should take a similar approach to snacks. Count out your 17 kettle pop chips, put them in a bowl, close the bag and put it away before you begin eating. The only exception is raw vegetables. Eat to your heart’s content.
Prioritize your “splurge”. When you are faced with a challenging food scenario, have a plan BEFORE you go. Let’s say you are going to a cookout and you’ve been craving a burger all day. Or birthday party and you really want cake. Don’t waste your calories on appetizers you can live without. Fill up with veggies first to take the edge off your hunger. And then enjoy your gotta-have-it food.
Fitness Matters Inc 