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continue to eat poorly.
Understanding a few basic concepts will help
you get started to your long term goals of fat
loss and healthy well being.
1. Healthy
Foods – Eating healthy
does not need to be a hard or monotonous
chore. There are plenty of quick,
easy, and healthy recipes available as a
guide. For your basic low fat
proteins, eat chicken, fish, tuna,
almonds, egg whites, and cottage cheese
(just to name a few). Other healthy
foods include vegetables (the more
colorful, the better), brown rice, and
whole wheat breads and grains. Eat
foods with plenty of fiber too, because
fiber rich foods add bulk to your diet
and help you feel satisfied for a longer
period of time. Get creative and
have fun with it to see what works for
you. Hint: If it comes in a
box and has a shelf life of a year, it’s
probably not healthy for
you.
2. Junk
Food – When you have
urges for junk food, wait it out before
giving in to your cravings. If
after 30 minutes, you still feel like you
must have that chocolate cake, limit
yourself to just a few bites rather than
inhaling the entire large serving.
It’s okay to acknowledge your cravings
and give yourself permission to satisfy
those cravings. When you wait it
out, you will most likely find a
healthier snack and feel better about
your choice. You will also learn
that you choose healthier options because
you look good and feel good. When
you work your butt off at the gym, you’ll
think twice about your craving for a
burger and fries. It’s just not
worth it to undo all that hard
work. Hint: Don’t buy and
store any junk food in your
pantry.
3.
Water – Drink plenty of
water throughout the day. Don’t wait
until you’re thirsty to hydrate. Aim for
at least 8 glasses of water a day, if not
more, especially if you exercise too.
Water is a necessity for your body’s
overall health. It’s not an option. Water
helps your body flush toxins out of your
system, water carries nutrients to your
cells, and water keeps your skin young
and healthy. Hint: always have bottled
water handy with you wherever you
go.
4.
Hunger – Do not starve
your body through those restrictive
“diets”. If you feel hungry, eat a
healthy snack or meal. Restricting your
diet usually leaves you feeling hungry
all day long and increases your chances
of binge eating later in the day or later
in the diet. Starving your body will not
help you maintain long term fat loss
results. Hint: your body stores fat when
it anticipates
starvation.
5.
Meals:
Eat Often – Eat 5 -6 small meals
throughout the day. Skipping meals may cause
you to overeat at your next meal, and it will
also cause your body to store fat in reserves
for fuel. When you eat smaller, healthier meals
throughout the day, your body has the constant
energy it needs to function at an optimal
level. Your body will be less likely to store
the fat, you’ll boost your metabolism by
feeding your body energy for optimal function,
you’ll have less cravings, you will decrease
your chances of overeating at night, and you
will also decrease your chances of making
unhealthy food choices because you won’t be
starving and reaching for junk food to fuel
your hunger. Hint: prepare healthy meals and
snacks ahead of time and have it all ready to
go – just open up the frig and
grab.
6.
Eat with
Purpose – Eat slowly and
purposefully. Chew your food well. Don’t
inhale your food. When you eat slowly,
you allow your brain to receive signals
that you are full. When you feel full,
stop eating. You do not have to finish
everything on your plate. Eat small
portions. For example, a serving of
chicken breast is about the size of the
palm of your hand. Eliminate the term
“supersize” from your vocabulary. That’s
why today’s society is so overweight. We
are not only eating junk food, but we are
“supersizing” it! Hint: you are what you
eat!
Once you get into the swing of things, eating
healthfully will become an easy habit.
You won’t even have to think twice about
it. Your healthy choices start now.
You can do it! They say it takes 21 days
to build and engrain a habit. Would it be
worth it for you to do something for 21 days to
create a lifetime of health and
fitness?
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