There are many diets out there that promise so much and deliver so little. I believe the best way to find a diet that you can adhere to and maintain, is to just change a few things of your normal diet. Here are some diet tips to lose weight.
· Keep a food diary. The process of writing down what you eat will make you realise how bad your diet is. Take measurements every couple of weeks to track results.
· Get rid of impulse items in your cupboards and fridge. It’s a lot easier to eat well when there is nothing bad in the house to eat. Get rid of biscuits and any bad snacks. Stock your cupboards full of healthy snacks. Tell your family or the people you live with to support you and your healthy eating. Ask them not to offer you anything bad and convince your family to eat healthy as well.
· Make a habit of eating six small meals a day. When you eat your metabolism increases. Always eat breakfast. Have three main meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner. And three snacks a day including morning tea, afternoon tea and supper.
· People normally snack when they get home from work and eat poorly because of lack of time. Prepare healthy meals for the week or for the next day and store it in the fridge of freezer. Then heat and eat. Soups are really good. Try cooking a chicken and using it on sandwiches and dishes. Make stews or cook meat in a crockpot. For an easy dinner, add a pre-made salad that you get at the supermarket, and add a low fat dressing like vinaigrette. No creamy dressings.
· Try to limit alcohol. It’s just excess calories. If you are going to drink alcohol, have a glass of red wine. Avoid beer, spritzers and spirits with mixers. No soft drinks! Also avoid fancy coffees with cream in them; have a flat white instead.
· Stay away from white bread and reduce the amount of white pasta. Instead, opt for wholemeal carbohydrates that tend to have a low GI rating. Low GI carbs release energy slowly so blood sugar levels are maintained to reduce spikes in energy levels throughout the day.
· Eat more fruit and vegetables. Everybody knows this but most people do not eat enough. Lunch and dinner should include veges, and fruit should be included as snacks. Low GI carbs and veges also include lots of fibre, which help to fill you up.
· Include lean meat in your diet. Protein also helps to fill you up. Try to include lean meat with lunch and dinner. Eat your meals slowly as this helps to get the message to your brain that your stomach is full. Drinking water before a meal does not make you feel fuller quicker, but eating soup does.
· When snacking, don’t eat in front of the TV or eat out of a box or a container. This is because when you don’t focus on what you are eating you lose track of the time and your body is slower to tell you are full. If you are going to eat the occasional bad food such as ice cream or chips put it in a bowl. And never shop at the supermarket when you are hungry. Make a list and stick to it.
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