Lifestyle / Tips To Keep The Weight Off

Tips To Keep The Weight Off

Lifestyle Dec 17, 2013

by Anokhi Admin

When it comes to food, you’ve heard it all before: Eat this food, avoid that food, go easy on the meat, skip dessert, no seconds and on, and on. At this point you have a strict formula for your daily dining. You’re the dieting queen.

However, despite your perfectly planned food pyramid, the winter cravings can quickly throw you off your game, especially if tensions are running high (you go straight for the cake).

Below we've listed a few tips to help you stay on track and keep the weight off.

Be Well Read:

Know the facts about your foods. That’s what the nutritional info on the back of the box and package are for. This helps you to be more aware of the general caloric and nutritional value of the foods you like, you’ll be able to recognize what is supposed to be an actual serving size of the food you’re heaping onto your plate. For instance even healthy foods like salads, that are accompanied by caloric information on menus frequently take us by surprise. Know your food both calorically and nutritionally. You already know that 300 calories worth of vegetables go a lot further than 300 calories of chocolate cake, but did you know that the chances are that 300 calories of steamed green, leafy vegetables are probably better for you than 300 calories of vegetable soup?

Hydrate:

If you’re not losing weight, the chances are that you’re also not drinking enough water. Have a glass of water before you start eating to make sure that your brain isn’t sending the wrong signals. Sometimes when your body is dehydrated, that “hungry feeling” is a request of fluids instead.

Chew! Chew!

And we're not talking trains here. That’s what YOU need to do when you eat. Are you swallowing your food whole? If so your body needs to take longer to process it, which means more of it will end up in storage and around your waist. Eat too fast, and you’ll still think that your body needs food even if your hips say otherwise. Chew your food thoroughly before you swallow to give your brain enough time to process that you’re taking in nutrients.

Mind Your Manners

Put your utensils down while talking or listening to someone. Thoughtless eating is another way to ensure the pounds stay on. If you don’t remember taking that second piece of pie, chances are your stomach won’t remember either, but your scale will remind you tomorrow.

Say Yes

To Seconds of fruits and vegetables. Fill up on foods high in nutrients and water content. Avoid second helpings of high carb, high sugar, or fatty foods.

Eat Enough

Remember this mantra: Lightly and often. While it’s hard to follow, deliberately skipping a healthy snack beforehand if you’re getting hungry could also find you ravenous later, and binging at the banquet. Fasting and binging is a quick way to slow down your metabolism. While you fast, your body is conserving energy because it thinks it might be “starving,” but then when you consume large quantities of food afterwards, the body can’t digest everything quickly enough, leaving energy reserves behind on your hips and tummy. Besides, feeling bloated all day long is never comfortable.

Tip: Eat a small healthy snack rich with nutrients like fruits, veggies, nuts or even a hard-boiled egg, and take a glass of water every couple of hours.

Eat On Time

As important as what you eat, is when you eat it. You could be hanging on to those last few pounds because you keep eating dinner right before you go to bed. A solid breakfast is important. Even if you don’t have time for a sit-down bowl of oatmeal, a yogurt with granola is a good game-starter for your metabolism, within an hour or two of waking. More importantly, don’t eat too late at night. Even if you are a night-owl, a good rule of thumb is to stop eating by 9:00 P.M. This also means you should go easy on the caloric drinks too, like cocoa, or cocktails.

Skip the Snooze

Ok, so you did eat a little too much. Now all you want to do is curl up on the couch for a post-feast nap. You’re not a tiger that you can afford three days to digest. You already know from where your next meal is coming and when, which means you don’t need to worry about starving or storing energy, i.e. extra pounds. Keep your metabolism running smoothly and your energy up by taking an after-meal walk. A mile is a good distance.

Don’t Give Up

Losing weight over a long period of time is better for your heart and other vital organs, and it’s also a better chance that you’ll be able to keep that weight off over time. That means that even if you don’t see results in a month or two, have patience with yourself. Keep up the good work! Don’t confuse fat loss with muscle gain on your scale, and don’t call it quits after a bad cheat day, or even a bad cheat week. Never Give Up! Good eating and living habits need to be learned for the long haul, and like anything else, that takes practice and time.

Moderation is Everything

Not only to a good diet, but to a good life. What are you waiting for, go eat n live right!

_{CREDITS:

Featured Image:effectiveweightlossresults.com}

COMMENTS

Eating Right During Winter

Tips For A Healthy Diwali

Pixie Cut Makes A Comeback In Hollywood

Inspirational Women Writers Of 2013

Hot Spot: Toronto's New Latin Restaurant

Indian Culinary Pioneer Tarla Dalal Passes Away

Must-See Locations This Winter

Ten Minute Abs

Philippines After Typhoon Haiyan

How Philanthropy Can Improve Your Life

Working From Home: Burden Or Convenience?

The Indo-American Arts Council Turns 15

ANOKHI MEDIA Is Excited To Launch Its FREE PREVIEW Of ANOKHI Magazine's Digital Editions!

Festive Holiday Drinks

Affordable Exotic Home Decor

Sachin Tendulkar Retires With India's Victory In Mumbai

Five Minute In-Office Exercises

Benefits Of Drinking Water

Winter Lassi Recipes

Overmedicating A Common Cold

Discovering Your Passion

A Tribute To JFK: 50 Years After His Assassination

Heart-To-Heart With Imran Khan

Smartphone Apps To Help You Run Faster

Milo Casting Seeks South Asian Women For Toothpaste Campaign

Artist Profile: Zubin Thakkar

How To Utilize Small Spaces In Your Home

Popular Children's Books To Gift This Holidays

Slow Cooker Recipes For Your Thanksgiving Feast

Top 6 Influential South Asian Females Of 2013

Winter Drink Recipes

Journalist P J Randhawa Awarded at World Sikh Awards

Tips For A Healthy Home

Prime Minister David Cameron Attends 9th Annual British Curry Awards

'Fast & Furious' Actor Paul Walker Dies In A Fiery Car Crash

Canadian Sikh Harnoor Gill: The Young Humanitarian

Nelson Mandela Dies At 95

Health Benefits Of Zen Buddhist Meditation

Vegan Recipes For The Perfect Dinner

Indoor Gardening During The Winter Season

First Date Ideas

5 Sports To Try This Winter

Mira Nair, Salman Rushdie Honoured By Indo-American Arts Council

How To Forgive Yourself

World Premiere Of 'Paradise Lost' By Janak Khendry Dance Company

Hangover Cures For The Holidays

Lisa Ray's Holiday Tradition

Picking Favourites: The Truth Behind Parenting

The Benefits Of Running

The 5 Signs Of True Love

Gift Ideas For The World Traveler

Jay Sean Announces Birth Of Daughter Avya

The Host: Fine Indian Cuisine

Flowers Unlimited: Your Local Floral Boutique

Devyani Khobragade's Arrest: India Demands US Apology

Happy Holidays From ANOKHI MEDIA

Happy New Year 2014!

Recipes For Holiday Cookies

ANOKHI Magazine Honored In Huffington Post Canada's List Of Hottest Priyanka Chopra Covers

DesiClub Unveils 10th Anniversary Edition Of Top 50 Coolest Desis Of 2013

Benefits Of Keeping A Journal

Tarot Reading: January 2014

The Grand Hotel Winterlicious 2014

4 Fun Illustrated Cookbooks For Amateur Art-Lovers

Health Benefits Of Coffee

January: The Divorce Month

How To Keep Your New Year's Resolution

Energy Medicine: Yay Or Nay?

Vikas Khanna Launches New Book 'Return To The Rivers'

Great Audio Books For Kids

Decorating Tips To Supersize Your Living Space

Tips To Make You A Super Dad

Sunanda Pushkar's Sudden Death Shocker

Tarot Reading: February 2014

Hot Spot: Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts

Hot Plate: Shrimp Pakora

Most Awaited Bollywood Weddings Of 2014

What Job Hoppers Need To Know