These sensible suggestions will help you whittle away at the excess calories you probably don’t even know you’re eating every day. Over time, a few hundred calories shaved off here and there can all add up.
Remember, most people can really only safely and effectively lose 2 pounds a week, which is 6000 fewer calories over the course of the week.
So, if you were eating the FDA recommended 2000 calories a day, you would need to drop to 1500 for at least 5 days of the week, plus, if you boost your activity, you can burn even more.
But let’s start with what you eat. Then we can look at your level of fitness and overall activity to see how much you’re burning.
* Look at the size of your dinner plate. Choose a smaller one and don’t pile up the food on it.
* Eat small portions of a variety of foods, to eliminate cravings or feeling deprived. That way, you allow yourself more variety in what you eat.
* Eat lots of fresh fruit. It has a high-water to calorie ratio, plus fiber to help you feel full.
* If you’re craving a sweet chewy snack, opt for a healthier alternative like prunes, apricots, or other dried fruits.
* Don’t punish yourself for “naughty foods”. there Should be no such thing. Instead, make a deal with yourself, like “I can eat whatever I want so long as I have a non-creamy soup and salad with low fat non-creamy dressing first.” Those two items will fill you up and stop you from over-indulging. (cream adds tons of calories from fat, so it’s best to avoid it!)
* Remember your ratio!
2000 calories 1 pound gained
3000 calories, 1 pound lost
Do the math to help you stay on track
* Avoid commercial fast-food like the plague. Go for quick and easy recipes at home, and make enough for leftovers for lunch or dinner you can zap in the microwave quickly.
* Always bring a healthy snack with you to avoid temptation in public places. Or from getting so hungry that by the time you eat, you are out of control and wolf down your food.
* Always eat salad and some lean protein before you go out for a party or social occasion like a dinner out in a restaurant. It will stop you bingeing, and the energy spikes that come with starving and then indulging.
* Practice eating mindfully. Do not do anything else while eating, like checking email or talking on the phone. Chew your food slowly and savor the taste and flavor of every bite to get the most satisfaction and not be tempted to cram down a whole lot more.
* Fruit juice is a great pick-me-up by itself, or as a spritzer. Cranberry juice is fantastic for relieving cystitis and keeps your bladder in good working order. Just watch the high fructose corn syrup used to sweeten some brands, and juices which are not pure juice. You can get a small bottle of concentrated cranberry juice in health food stores.
* Keep your toothbrush and mouthwash handy after every meal. Not only will it help keep your mouth fresh, in your medicine cabinet. Not only does mouthwash freshen your breath, food never tastes quite so irresistible before or after you’ve brushed your teeth. Especially that Starbuck’s coffee concoction with the 750 calories and more grams of saturated fat than a Big Mac!
Little changes can add up to big results!
FURTHER READING
