These are just some of the many things we hear when we are bombarded daily with new and not always great diet and eating tips in our quest to find permanent weight loss. So I thought we’d talk about some common sense, proven tips that, along with a solid exercise program, will help you achieve your fitness and health goals. Read Slowly – The French Paradox explains why the French eat more fatty foods but are a healthier society than the United States. They take their meals seriously and consider it one of the most important times in the day. This tip has multiple benefits.
Slow Eating
Slow eating will allow your body to absorb the food at the right levels. This will make it easier to eat more and not overeat. Another great benefit is that you get to spend more time with your loved ones, so you can share the important moments in your life. Eat 5-6 times per day. Your blood sugar levels should not drop between meals. You can maintain your blood sugar levels throughout the day by eating more often and eating foods on the low end. This will help you avoid those mid-afternoon yawns, and will also help you lose weight.
Refined carbohydrates and simple sugars can spike blood sugar levels and cause your body to store extra fat. This was something I struggled with many years ago. However, I learned to fuel up early in my day. A good breakfast is essential to fuel your day, especially if you include a fitness program into your day. You need fuel to get your engine moving in the morning. You should not starve yourself early. Your body may start to crave food later.
Early Food
Give your body food early! Slow down when the sun sets. What does this mean? It is important to eat a good breakfast to start the morning, but it is equally important to reduce the amount of food you eat throughout the day. Plan to eat a solid breakfast and a great lunch, and cut down on the amount of food you eat at dinner. As you get closer to bedtime, your body will slow down and you won’t have the same chance to burn the calories you ate earlier in the day. Eat earlier and stop eating as soon as the sun goes down.
Give yourself three hours! Yes, 3 hours before you go to bed. Do not eat any more calories. Your body will prepare for sleep by slowing down, as I have already mentioned. You don’t want to eat a lot of calories before bed because you could end up storing them as FAT. Sometimes your body can give you false feelings of hunger as the time nears. This is not good for controlling your body fat % and weight. If you can’t resist the munchies then you should eat some high-quality fat nuts. You can try unsalted Almonds skin-on (good fiber) or a few spoonfuls of all-natural peanut butter with no sugar added.
Quality Food
Good quality fat foods will satisfy your cravings and keep you away from eating simple sugary or bad carbs like ice cream or cookies. Focus on eating green at every meal. Include a high-quality, low-glycemic dark green vegetable with every meal. For lunchtime salads, I recommend spinach or romaine lettuce. You can eat broccoli, asparagus, or steam spinach for dinner. Blend your food. A low-carb tortilla wrap that has whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. As part of the filling, add lean chicken breasts to the wrap.
You can also add thinly shredded romaine and other vegetables. If you are looking for a simple substitute for sugar, splenda is a good choice. I have tried many sugar substitutes over the years, but none of them taste as good as splenda. It is not the same and certainly not as sweet and low.