2. What you eat or
even what you don’t eat is not the whole answer to reaching or
maintaining a healthy weight. You must also make physical activity a
high priority in your life. Do not wait until you have the “diet”
component mastered. Again, you may want to make changes gradually, but
today is the day to start. Begin by buying a pedometer and working your
way to 10,000 steps a day.
3. Stay away from diet
silliness. No one wants to eat grapefruit everyday for the rest of his
or her life, nor cabbage, nor anything else.
4. Don’t obsess about
calories. You probably already know what you should be eating, and you
probably even eat most of those things. The problem is that you
probably eat too much of them and too many other things as well. Keep
an honest accounting of what you eat for a week, and figure out where
you can improve.
5. Let fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains begin to dominate your plate. The more
color, probably the more nutritious. Cut way down on “white”
carbohydrates like pasta, white rice, and white flour products. Start
trying those trendy whole grain products; you might even come to prefer
them.
6. Choose fresh foods
over processed foods. If a food spoils, it is more likely to be a
better choice than one that does not.
7. Get your fruit by
eating fruit. Skip the juices and let the fruit provide you with fiber,
delicious natural taste, and nutrients.
8. If a food comes in
a box, read the label, and be aware of what is actually in the little
cardboard castle. It may take your appetite away.
9. If you feel full,
stop eating. Save the leftovers and you will also save the time of
preparing still another meal.
10. Generally no one
needs seconds. Do you really want them?
11. Put these
on your “no go” list: all-you-can-eat buffets and fast-food
restaurants.
12. Make breakfast a
hearty meal. Skipping breakfast does not help you to lose weight but it
can certainly ruin your morning. Be creative if you don’t like typical
breakfast foods.
13. No one needs to
watch the clock to the next mealtime. Eat food at each meal with
“staying power.” Foods containing large amounts of fiber go through the
digestive system slowly. Snacks are often just a habit. If you are
truly involved in what you are doing, you are not likely to notice or
feel hunger. If you need a more interesting job, start taking steps
toward getting one. Use your breaks to socialize and convince your
co-workers to take walks together rather than eating crème filled
doughnuts.
14. If you feel the
need, and most of us do, you can still enjoy an occasional dessert, or
other favorite food. You can still make choices. Learn the difference
between eating a cookie and wolfing down pie ala mode, or between
ordering pasta primavera and fettuccini Alfredo in your favorite
Italian restaurant. And especially learn the difference between large
and small portions. Share a dessert especially the oversized ones
offered at restaurants.
15. Don’t nibble when
you cook, and don’t nibble when you clean up. Concentrate on just
getting the job done quickly so you can do other things you enjoy.
16. Be considerate of
the health of others. If you don’t think you should be eating a
particular food, what makes you think your guests or your children
should be eating it? Avoid temptation and don’t stock junk food in your
pantry.
17. While vitamins
may play a role in making sure you are getting the right nutrients,
concentrate on consuming well-balanced meals. If you don’t know what
that means for you, take the time to find out. Start reading or consult
a nutritionist.
18. Get a handle on
portion control. We tend to eat whatever is on the plate so consider
using smaller ones. The same goes for glasses and bowls.
19. If you need to
have something in your mouth, reach for a bottle of water. Use it as
your main thirst quencher. Consume as much as you like and without any
guilt. Avoid liquids which already have sugar dissolved in them, or
require the addition of sugar.
20. If you mess
up, don’t wait until next week to resume a healthy diet. Start
right this minute!.
Linda Byard
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