Trying To Lose Weight For Life? Consider Changing The Way You Eat
It is a commonly held belief that going on a diet will lead to weight loss success. While diets do work in the short term, reaching your weight loss goal and staying at goal involve more than just making temporary changes to your eating plan. You must develop and follow a plan that you can live with, one that promotes healthy eating and one that will help you to maintain a healthy weight once you get there. Here are some tips that can help.
The first step in losing weight for good involves changing the way you view food. It is important to understand that the purpose of food is to fuel your body, and therefore you must make healthy choices in order to give your body the nutrients it needs. Take the time to go through your home and get rid of processed, sugar filled foods. Replace them with whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. Snack on things like almonds, popcorn and cut up vegetables and fruits. By doing this, you won't be tempted to eat poorly every time you open the pantry, and you will begin to make changes in what you're putting into your body.
In addition to eating healthy vegetables and fruits, it is important to consider portion sizes for all of your snacks and meals. The easiest way to do this is to portion things ahead of time. Cut up some fruits and vegetables, and place them in small, individual plastic containers. Take your bag of granola and portion it into individual zip lock bags. Have cups on hand that are no larger than eight ounces, and use them to drink any fruit juices, teas or other beverages. Weigh your meats and individually package them as well. By doing this, you will start to realize what a healthy portion looks like, making you more inclined to stop eating before the portion size becomes too large.
Finally, make sure to drink plenty of water each day. Take the time to clear your refrigerator of sodas, and do not buy any more. If you want an alternative to water, consider fruit juice with no added sugar or herbal teas instead. In addition to this, make sure to keep a pitcher of water in your refrigerator, and drink from it every chance you get. Keep water with you when you travel too by purchasing a water bottle to keep in your car and refill throughout the day. Remember that a good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in water. Doing this will keep your body hydrated, and it will help you to avoid cravings.
In order to lose weight, you must make lifelong changes to the way you view food. Eating in a way that is healthy and easy to live with is the key to lifelong weight loss success, helping you to get rid of extra pounds and keep them off for good.
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Weight Loss
