It seems like the whole world is on a diet. Cut down on carbs, count calories, reduce sugar intake, or avoid eating after 7:00 p.m. It’s enough to drive you crazy.
Shedding extra pounds means making some lifestyle changes. But suddenly changing the way you’ve always done things or the way you’ve always eaten can seem like it’s too much to handle.
Of course, everyone and their brother wants to give their opinion on the best way for you to proceed, so you have to weed out all that junk clogging up your head.
Have you ever seen the television show ” 600 Pound Life”? Each week features a different person who weighs 600 pounds and wants to qualify for weight loss surgery. First, they meet with an 80-year-old doctor and must weigh in for the first visit. Next up is a lecture on following a 1200-calorie diet and losing up to 100 pounds a month.
A dietitian visits the house and cleans out the refrigerator and pantry. Foods such as pies, cakes, chips, cheese, and ice cream are deposited in a black garbage bag and tossed in the outside trash. Now, these tasty foods are replaced with fruit and veggies, salad fixings, and lean meats.
If this were me, before the dietitian even drove off, I would have made the 50-yard dash to the trash can and retrieved all the goodies.
What if you could make small changes that could give you big results? Here are some tips and tricks to provide you with a good start:
Buy Smaller Servings
I have a better solution: instead of cleaning out your pantry and refrigerator and tossing out all your favorite foods, buy items you like in smaller servings.
I love barbecued potato chips in a single pack, which has about 150 calories. A big bag goes stale too quickly, so I get to eat the whole serving.
Try this method with more of your favorite foods. Bread is a good example. You can buy thin bread that can satisfy your carb urge, instead of buying a regular loaf.
Substitute Ingredients
Sometimes, you can do this, and you won’t even notice a difference, especially if you’re using these items in a meal like a stew or a casserole. Replace beef stock with water and tomato juice. Use top sirloin, which is a leaner meat than traditional stew meat.
I’ve been on a salad kick lately, so I appreciate these tips. Dress your salads with herbs and lemon juice, instead of heavy, creamy dressings. This is a great alternative that will help you to explore new flavour combinations and keep your salads light and zingy.
Do you like to bake? Try lower-fat baked goods made with unsaturated oils or soft tub margarine, egg whites or egg substitutes, and fat-free milk.
Switch Beverages
If you’re not a water drinker because you drink sugary beverages instead, ease into that by replacing one item, such as a soda, with a glass of water. Not only can water help you feel full and quell hunger pangs that drive you to overeat, but your body also needs water to help your digestive system process food.
Kicking the soda habit can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. I thought I would never be able to give up Diet Coke, but now I only drink water. I gradually stepped down from four cans of Diet Coke, then three, then two, then one, and I discovered how much I liked water.
It’s incredible how many flavored infusions make drinking water more fun. Choose from flavors such as Strawberry Cucumber, Pineapple Mint Ginger, or Raspberry Orange. If you enjoy fruit juice, fill a glass half full of water and half full of juice to reduce sweetness and calories.
Eat Smaller Meals
Change your concept of three meals a day. By dividing the foods you typically eat into three meals a day into five or six meals, you’ll keep your metabolism up, and more importantly, this change will help you avoid feeling deprived. Here are some potential benefits of eating smaller meals:
- improve satiety, or feeling full after a meal
- increase metabolism and body composition
- prevent dips in energy
- stabilize blood sugar
- prevent overeating
One problem I experienced with eating more frequently was consuming too many calories. I wasn’t satisfied with the smaller portion and ended up gaining weight.
Don’t Let Slip-Ups Derail Your Diet
Remind yourself that you’re looking at progress and not perfection. You may have an off day. I know I certainly have my share, but get back on track with your next meal.
Summary
You may find that the more you ease into changes, the more you’re developing good habits that can help you lose weight and keep it off.
