1. Keep portions moderate. Especially high calorie and sugary foods. Every individuals appetite, body weight, and height vary so it is impossible to put on exact number on how many calories is "moderate." The best thing to do is eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day), lunch, a light dinner (because it is close to bed time & it is bad to sleep on a full stomach), and maybe a snack between meals if necessary.
2. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Fruits are not only a great source of vitamins, but an excellent water source as well. A perfect time to eat a piece of fruit is after a work out! For vegetables, just remember ANYTHING GREEN is just the ticket to boost your energy and give your body the necessary vitamins and nutrients it needs. And, do not be afraid of grains! Why? Because they contain COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES- the kind that are good for energy and digestion. Most nutrionist's agree, they are the most important part of our diet.
3. Eat slowly. Those who eat slower, live longer. What does it mean to eat slowly? Take small bites, chew slowly until the food turns to mush, then swallow. The pace is important too: Unless you're in the army, there should be no excuse for shoveling food down your throat. It's obvious that many of us have short lunch breaks at work, and eating slowly can seem like a nearly impossible tasks, but trust me, if you make this change, you'll feel better, EAT LESS, and have better digestions.
4. Do not skip meals. If you skip a meal or go for a long period of time without eating, your body begins to think it is starving. The metabolism slows down to save energy, and the next time it gets food it stores it as fat. The other reason skipping meals is unbeneficial is because we tend to consume DOUBLE what we normally would at a regular meal. This is basically binging which not only throws your bodies cycle completely out of wack, but can lead to dangerous eating disorders such as bulimia and binge eating disorder.
5. Drink plenty of water. How many times have we heard this one? The statement is true because our bodies are mande up of 75% water, so it is a vital part of life. If you do not like the taste of water, one of the best way to get your daily in take is to mix it with cranberry, grapefruit juice, or ice tea. The more nutritional value in the juice, the better, but you get the idea.
6. Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products. Here's an example of what a sugar intake will do: In one years time, drinking a 12 once can of soda everyday (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds. There are many simple ways to cut down salt consumption: Instead of cooking with salted butter, use unsalted. Instead of eating a pickle, substitute it with a cucumber. Unsalted peanuts rather than salted, etc. Refined grains are horrible because they actually strip your body of fiber and nutrients. They also dramatically increase blood sugar, which over time can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and hypoglycemia.
7. Take things one step at a time. You cannot expect a 180 degree turn around from yourself on the first day. Implement these stragies slowly the first fews days, and then more regularly and consistently after that. CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY. Also, DO NOT LET YOURSELF GET DISCOURAGED.
