5 Easy Dieting Tips
Dieting is a very effective way of getting toned and improving overall health, but it is often easier said than done. If you are trying to shed a bit of weight, these tips will make it easier for you to look and feel good.
1) Count Your Calories
There are all sorts of diets that promise to help you lose weight with special ingredients or unusual ratios of fat and protein. However, most research seems to find that what you eat does not matter as much as how much you eat. As long as you are burning more calories than you consume each day, you will lose weight. To use this highly effective method of weight loss, all you need to do is calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and then eat less calories than your TDEE.
2) Fill Up on Low Calorie Foods
Just keeping your caloric intake low might seem like a simple way to lose weight, but many people struggle to feel full on a low calorie diet. To remain full and energetic, it is a good idea to eat low calorie foods that fill up your stomach without containing many calories. Good examples of low calorie foods include watery fruits and vegetables, like broccoli, strawberries, celery, carrots, oranges, tomatoes, and peaches. An entire plateful of fruits and veggies typically contains less calories than a single serving of fries, cookies, or chips. If you aren’t particularly a fan of fruits and vegetables, consider taking a green superfood powder to still receive those necessary vitamins and minerals those foods would provide.
3) Stay Full with Fat and Protein
A lot of people on low fat diets end up failing because they cannot overcome constant cravings. It turns out that eating nothing but carbohydrates can make you feel constantly hungry because the digest so rapidly. Slow digesting fat and proteins can leave you feeling full for hours, so you can stick to your diet instead of cheating with snacks. Just eating a small amount of healthy fat or lean protein with a meal can make it much more satisfying. To lose weight while still eating fat, you just need to be careful to measure out reasonable portions that fit within your calorie goals.
4) Plan your Meals in Advance
The convenience of your diet can be enough to make or break your dieting plans. When you wait until you are starving to start looking for something to eat, you may be tempted to grab unhealthy junk food and snacks. To actually succeed in your weight loss goals, you need to have ready access to healthy and tasty meals. Some people find it helpful to sign up for a healthy food delivery service, so they can have readymade, healthy foods on hand at all times. Others find it helpful to cook large meals on the weekend and portion it into meal-sized servings for their weekday meals.
5) Avoid Drinking Your Calories
Sodas, juices, alcohol, milk, and energy drinks tend to be packed with calories that can impair weight loss ability. Even seemingly healthy things like bottled tea can be packed with sugar, and alcohol is even worse. Decreases in alcohol intake resulted in an overall higher percentage of weight loss in test subjects. Alcohol tends to cause a lot of weight gain because it is high in calories, and people eat more when they are either drunk or hungover. Instead of drinking high-calorie beverages, try to switch to water, coffee, or sugarless herbal teas.
These tips will make it easier for you to drop those extra pounds and finally get into shape. When you are able to say no to cravings and focus on eating healthy food, you will find that the pounds steadily drop off. It can take a little while to get into the habit of dieting, but once you do, you will be on your way to becoming a sexier and healthier version of yourself.