I think for me, changing the way I eat is the hardest. Also, we are EATING REAL FOOD. There are no starvation techniques going on. Just making better choices about the food that we are eating.
Step one: Throw away the "bad" food and snacks that you have. Don't decide to start eating better after you've finished what you have in your cupboard, because it's likely you will buy more and never start. Just get rid of it now, so you can start now. (And not have the temptation there.)
Step two: Make a log. Write down everything you put in your mouth. If you actually see the list and are accountable for the things you eat, it will help you make better decisions on what you are eating. Go to- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ where you can make and account and keep track of your calorie intake as well as your exercise. It's pretty cool really. I have the app on my iPhone. Get the app, (available for other smartphones as well), add me as your friend and we can see what each other is up to.
Step two: Make a log. Write down everything you put in your mouth. If you actually see the list and are accountable for the things you eat, it will help you make better decisions on what you are eating. Go to- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ where you can make and account and keep track of your calorie intake as well as your exercise. It's pretty cool really. I have the app on my iPhone. Get the app, (available for other smartphones as well), add me as your friend and we can see what each other is up to.
While in the lose-weight/get-healthy mode, here are some changes to make:
-Take a multi-vitamin.
-Cut out unnecessary fat/sugar/salt. Cut out most dairy (switch to non-fat milk). LESS cheese. LESS ice cream. No soda. (Nope, none. It's not worth it.) No candy.
-Cut down on carbs. Less sugar/bread/pasta/potatoes/rice/cereal. One carb is usually about the size of your fist, ie. 1 medium banana, an orange, 1 slice of bread.
-Completely switch to whole wheat pasta and 100% whole grain breads & brown rice. (They are actually really good!)
-Eat more protein- turkey, chicken, eggs, almonds (& other nuts/seeds), and quinoa (is gluten free!).
-Eat more fiber- beans, nuts, cooked carrots, quinoa (great source of fiber!).
-ALL raw veggies are free! Eat as much as you want. (Ok, except corn, it is a carb.)
-Eat healthy snacks between meals- handful of almonds, a banana with peanut butter on it, etc. (No chips, crackers, poptarts, cereal.)
-Drink water! Lots of it!
-Make homemeade meals! Don't eat out of a box. The prepackaged meals are not very good for you.
-Keep your portions in control! (diagram below)
HAVE A FREE DAY. One day a week have a free day where you can eat the things you like. Keep your exercise regime up, make sure you MOVE your body, but enjoy some treats that you miss. This way you are not feeling deprived.
On the blog I'll share the types of meal that I am eating so you can get an idea of real food that I eat.
Portion Control Diagram:
HAVE A FREE DAY. One day a week have a free day where you can eat the things you like. Keep your exercise regime up, make sure you MOVE your body, but enjoy some treats that you miss. This way you are not feeling deprived.
On the blog I'll share the types of meal that I am eating so you can get an idea of real food that I eat.
Portion Control Diagram:
Portion control is an extremely important weight managment tool because it provides us with a balance between the two extremes (overeating and undereating). Many of us know "what" to eat, but even more of us have been misinformed when it comes to "how much" to eat. Above is a helpful diagram that shows a variety of foods (such as chicken, cheese), that each correspond to an object of an appropriate portion size for that particular food. Developing a "portion control lifestyle" will increase your energy and stamina, elevate your mood, and overall make you a happier, healthier person.
Healthy Strategies For Eating:
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.
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.
Portion control & Healthy Strategies For Eating info from HERE.
