When you think of a diet, you probably think about starving yourself and gross, tasteless, foods, but this is not the way that it has to be. There are many changes that you can make to your lifestyle, that can help you to lose weight over time. There are no “get thin quick” diets that are actually worth it. Being your healthiest will take some time, so don’t be reeled in by the diets that claim that you will be losing 10 pounds in two days. Even if you did lose ten pounds, that is extremely unhealthy for your body. It is much easier than you think to get rid of those extra pounds. You will just have to make some small changes to your lifestyle to get the results that you want.
Here are just a few guidelines that will help you to reach your goals in just over a month.
5 Meals a Day
By this I mean having 3 meals with 2 snacks a day. It may sound crazy, but by eating more you will see more results from your diet. By eating this much a day, your metabolism will stay productive and you will never feel like you’re starving, so you will be less likely to turn to unhealthy foods to fill up. You will be less likely to break your diet if you are eating enough, and eating right. Here are a few things to add to your diet, so that you stay on track for your weight loss plan.
Fiber is your friend
Fiber can help to slow the digestive process, which will keep you fuller for longer. Fiber also binds together foods, and this can help to get calories out of your body faster. It is recommended that you eat about 24 grams of fiber every day, if you want it to effectively move calories out of your body. Remember to eat fiber throughout the day, preferably at every meal, so that it stays in your system for the whole day. Some food ideas for adding fiber to your diet include:
Cereal with “bran” in the name.- Apples, bananas, oranges…
- Almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds…
- Brown rice or whole wheat pastas
Cereal with “bran” in the name.Remember to eat these foods in their suggested serving sizes, if you want to lose weight successfully.
Cut out the starch
Sometimes it can be hard to cut out starches like potatoes and grains, but it will be very beneficial to your diet. Even if you only cut down, instead of completely cutting out, you will see a difference in your carbohydrate intake. Potatoes and grains are some of the most carb-dense foods out there. There are many healthy alternatives to these to get the daily carb intake that you need.
Stop Counting Calories
If you can make the choice to eat the right foods, you will find that you don’t need to count calories. You will start to notice that you aren’t always hungry and this can help to control your calorie intake as well. Remember that you really can’t eat too many fruits and vegetables. They have almost no calories, and are overall, very good for you. If you start to make the choice to switch out those brownies for fruit, you will see a change in yourself over time.
Also remember to eat protein with almost every meal
Protein can be found in many things. Make sure that you are checking the nutrition labels, so that you can find things that work for your diet and will help you to get the protein that you need. Things like yogurt, cheese, eggs, nuts, and more all contain protein and can be eaten at any meal. All meats also have protein, but don’t only eat red meat. Change up your protein intake by eating turkey, chicken, or fish instead.
There is good fat and bad fat
Most diets tell us to be afraid of fats, but you don’t have to be. Make sure that you are checking labels to find out how much fat is in everything. There are saturated fats, which are the bad fats. Those can be found in many snack foods, and you will be surprised how much is in those foods after you start reading labels. Saturated fats are the kinds of fats that you want to avoid in your diet. Unsaturated fats are good for you. These fats will linger in your stomach for longer, and help you to feel full, without permanently sticking around like saturated fats. Most health foods have unsaturated fats in them. Make sure that you are reading labels before eating anything!
Eat breakfast
Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it is also very important for weight loss. It can help get your metabolism moving in the mornings, which will help you throughout the day. You are more likely to be obese if you skip breakfasts, as your body will never truly “wake up” during the day. Make sure that you are eating right away in the mornings, so that you can help yourself. You don’t need to eat too much, but a banana or apple along with your coffee will help your body get moving for the day.
Exercise
If you truly want to lose weight, then you need to add exercise into your life. If you are not very active to begin with, subtle workouts can help a lot. Make sure that you take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Walk to work, if possible. Getting a pet, if you are ready and willing, also helps to keep a person active. You are more likely to go on daily walks if you have a companion by your side. If you are already fairly active, get into the gym. Start staying for longer and doing more intense workouts. You will probably hate any type of exercise at first, but trust me, you will be thanking yourself later, as you start to build healthy habits.
