Some (not so) Silly Diet Tips and Why They're Not
At first glance some of these diet tips may seem downright silly. You may find yourself thinking, "That's couldn't possibly make enough of a difference. Plus I'd feel silly doing it." I have a response to those negative thoughts. First, the longest journey begins with a single step. And second, would you rather feel silly being overweight and unfit or doing something about it?
Diet Tip 1: Fidget
Every little movement burns calories. Twiddle your thumbs. Squeeze one of those little exercise balls while you watch TV to burn calories and tone your arms at the same time. Take that more distant parking spot. Walk wherever possible. Even if you have physical limitations, you can tailor a program to your needs. Move whatever you can, whenever and wherever you can. And just think - laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
Diet Tip 2: Portions and Proportions
Pay attention to portion sizes according to the eating plan you choose. Use a normal size plate ? don't supersize it! One plan suggests that ¼ of the plate should contain protein and the rest should be fruits and vegetables. You can weigh your food, at least until you become attuned to proper portion sizes or use some of the simple guidelines like "3 oz. of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of playing cards" or "one serving of rice is the size of a tennis ball".
Diet Tip 3: Eat More Slowly
This allows your body the several minutes it takes to signal your brain that it is full.
Diet Tip 4: Substitute Low Calorie Density Foods for High
Choose foods with a low calorie density ? foods that have fewer calories relative to their weight. "If you decrease the energy density of your diet,
caloric intake will decline", says Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University and co-author along with Robert Barnett of The Volumetrics Eating Plan.
Think lower cal fruits, vegetables like salad greens and broths. What these foods have in common is the magic diet ingredient, water! Water has zero calories, so the more volume represented by water, the less room there is for calories. Water also creates a feeling of fullness, helping one to eat less.
Fiber is another low calorie density food. In this category, we again find many fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, such as whole wheat bread or pasta, whole grain cereals and brown rice. A study at Tufts University in Boston found that increasing daily fiber intake by 14 grams resulted in a
10% decrease in total calorie intake and a weight loss averaging one pound a month. This is a very small diet change to make. Substitute about 28 calories of fiber for some high calorie density food you have been eating.
Diet Tip 5: Be Aware of What You Eat
Keep a food diary (and be brutally honest ? no one else needs to see it). Don't forget the spoon that you licked while putting away the leftovers or the sampling(s) you had while adjusting the seasoning. The purpose is not only to monitor your food intake but to identify what circumstances tempt you to overeat or eat unhealthily. Keep a food diary long enough and patterns will start to emerge.
Diet Tip 6: Try New Spices and Herbs in Place of Butter and Salt
Try some new spices and herbs and cut back on the butter and salt. You might be surprised to learn the antioxidant strength of some herbs ? another reason to add more to your diet. When food tastes different or more flavorful, we tend to savor it more and eat more slowly.
Diet Tip 7: Add Variety
Along the same lines, The American Dietetic Association recommends increasing variety. Occasionally adding a single new food to your routine can end monotony and increase nutrition.
This year's ADA "Get a Taste for Nutrition" campaign suggests adding a new fruit, vegetable or grain to your shopping list each week. Among its suggestions: kumquat, passion fruit and pomegranate for fruits; kohlrabi, bok choy, jicama and parsnip from the vegetable aisle; and quinoa, flaxseed, amaranth and bulgur for new grains.
This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.
Jean Bowler is a life long fitness freak. She was a ballet dancer and teacher, a private fitness trainer and more. Visit her site, http://www.ageless-beauty.com for advice on diet and nutrition, skin care and more.
Rejuvenation and the Protein Revolution in Your Kitchen©2003 Marilyn DiamondIf... Read More
As of the writing of this article, May 16, 2005,... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More
WHAT DOES BEING FIT REALLY MEAN?The "INSIDE-OUT" approach to fitness... Read More
When it comes to our weight and the appearance of... Read More
As a part of a children's diet and health study,... Read More
If you've been scouring the news, devouring as much information... Read More
For years the experts have been telling us that diets... Read More
Experts say obesity will overtake smoking as the biggest health... Read More
One of the greatest tricks that I use to stick... Read More
Yoga is wonderful for nurturing a state of mental and... Read More
How to Break the Weighing HabitFace it, if you weigh... Read More
Gastric bypass surgery has many forms and can involve stapling... Read More
In a global television commercial just launched (10 June 2005),... Read More
We must all now be familiar with the Atkins Diet.... Read More
Diet pills have met with many different fates, and come... Read More
Here's a letter from my email:Dear Carol,I took your teleclass... Read More
We, as a society, are always trying to lose weight.... Read More
If you knew when you were going to die, would... Read More
1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each dayOkay, for many... Read More
Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More
An ancient practice from Eastern Medicine, bowel cleansing is fast... Read More
Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More
The government, nutritionists, doctors, and dietitians implore us to eat... Read More
Here are the 4 things you need to know about... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze... Read More
There are as many reasons you've given yourself to eat... Read More
There's a dirty little secret in the diet industry. The... Read More
As the holidays approach, a frequent question from my clients... Read More
ATTITUDESIT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!Exercising has so many physical benefits that... Read More
I'm sure you have heard it before, but one of... Read More
When I decided to lose weight I of course decided... Read More
Have you ever wondered with all the weight loss programs... Read More
One thing's for sure, in this day & age, if... Read More
Can You Lose Weight Where You Want?If you have excess... Read More
This is the second article in the series, Weight Loss... Read More
Low carb diets can be classified as food plans that... Read More
Frankly, I'm puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who's... Read More
Did you know that what you're eating could be making... Read More
You will be surprised to find out how many people... Read More
Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More
Fat Loss Tip #3) Proper Meal FrequencyMeal Frequency (i.e., the... Read More
I have put off writing a motivation article because of... Read More
How did a thin person like me become overweight? My... Read More
As I explained in the first part of this article,... Read More
We are inundated by exhortations to lose weight - from... Read More
Do you want to lose weight fast? While there is... Read More
The underlying principles of low carb diets are based on... Read More
Rejuvenation and the Protein Revolution in Your Kitchen©2003 Marilyn DiamondIf... Read More
"Life is like a box of chocolates," drawled Forrest Gump.Metaphors... Read More
Many of enjoy sitting down at Starbucks and enjoying a... Read More
Although many patients have few problems after bariatric surgery, there... Read More
Just one more day I can do this, I told... Read More
Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More
The most common and popular diet fad over the past... Read More
Fats are always looked at as a negative in a... Read More
Dumping syndrome is an effective result of the gastric bypass... Read More
Have you ever stepped on the scale after a week... Read More
What is the best form of physical activity?The best form... Read More
Now this is the real American Dream! I'm here to... Read More
The vast majority of postpartum women will not return to... Read More
Summer is about to be in full swing, and it's... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More
Recently, I won a family cruise on the Regis and... Read More
You've heard them before and may even have believed some... Read More
Weight Loss |