Folks,
So far I've told you to drink water, sleep, and not to eat certain things. We are not done. You do actually need to eat food.
I have found that the best foods for me (in order of importance) are vegetables, fruit, whole-grain and high-fiber breads, beans, some dairy, some nuts, and some lean meats.
The elements you want to get into your diet are protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruit are high in fiber, water content, vitamins and minerals. Whole grain foods, beans, nuts, dairy and meat are high in protein and sometimes fiber, but not high in saturated fats. True, most do have some fats, but you should not eliminate your fats completely. Some say to cut dairy from a weight-loss diet, but I would rather cut it down than cut it out, since it's so important to not get calcium deficient, which is very common in low-calorie diets.
Now to talk about when to eat these. I have MANY books and websites with menu guidelines and recipes. I can send these if you are interested. Basically, though, here's my program:
•Wake up
•Drink water (possibly with 1 T fresh squeezed lemon--not from a bottle)
•Eat something small--a piece of fruit or yogurt
•Get moving! Do something energetic but not too strenuous, like a walk, go up and down the stairs a few times, sit ups, a few weight repetitions, etc.
•Drink water
•Eat breakfast. Breakfast shouldn't be the biggest meal of the day, but it should include some protein, possibly fruit and whole grains, and veggies if you can do it. Veggies are appropriate in any meal or snack.
•Drink water.
•It has been recommended that you eat something small every two hours to keep your blood sugar up and your cravings down. Snacks should be small and pack a nutritious punch. Consider low-fat cottage cheese, nuts, raisins, dried or fresh fruit, celery with peanut butter, fresh cut-up vegetables, cheese, etc.
•Drink water.
•Lunch should probably be your biggest meal. Your metabolism is going strong and you're using energy. Don't overdo it, though.
•Drink water.
•Snack.
•Drink water.
•Try to have dinner by 6:00. I have heard avoid carbohydrates and fruit at dinner time if you are trying to target the fat on your belly. I have no idea why.
•Drink water!
Somewhere in that day you should also have a real workout, but that is a subject for a different day.
A tip about eating--try to be careful about portions. Even if you are eating all the right, healthy food, you can still eat too much. I had the habit of finishing off my kids' food before I started losing weight. I had to physically restrain my hand from going to my mouth several times because it was ingrained in me so well to finish their food! Remember, you can put them away in a container and eat them for lunch tomorrow and save that much time on food preparation! It's not worth it to get seconds or to finish someone else's food. That is social eating, not nutrition eating.
Also, an occasional piece of pie won't kill you. It has been suggested that you eat right for six days, then take a day off. I try not to do that, but Sundays aren't always as regimented for me as the rest of the week, and I do occasionally go out to dinner with my family while I'm on a diet. While it may reverse you for a day, sometimes it's best to acknowledge the cravings and satisfy them once in a while instead of repressing until you have a complete binge breakdown and go nuts.
I LOVE getting recipes of healthy foods I can fix for my family! If you have any that work for you, please share. I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes and meal plans over the next few days as well.
A fun and interesting page about health benefits of fruits and vegetables:
http://www.thefruitpages.com/rightnutrition.shtml
A link to some ideas for healthy foods:
http://www.whfoods.com/eathealthy.php
A great page about how to eat and lose weight:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5284377_eat-lose-weight-stay-healthy.html
No comments:
Post a Comment