Archive for December, 2008
Best diet tips from nutrition experts
Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages
It is not uncommon for some people to confuse thirst with hunger. As a result you can end up eating additional calories when an ice-cold glass of water is the only thing you need. If you don’t like simple water, you can add some citrus or a bit of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which contain lots of flavor but no calories.
Consider what you can add to your diet, not what you should get rid of.
You should start by paying attention to getting the recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Although it may sound like a lot it is well worth it, because at the same time you are fulfilling your fiber goals and becoming more satisfied with the amount of food. You are also less threatened by overeating as fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet. Of course the health benefits of fruits and vegetables should also be taken into account. More than 200 studies have proved the disease-preventing feature of phytochemicals present in produce. You might also want to incorporate vegetables into meals instead of simply serving them as sides on a plate. Personally, I like to make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto, pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches from seasonal vegetables. It is very simple to buy a variety of vegetables and put them into dishes.
Think if you are really hungry.
Every time you feel like eating, search for physical symptoms of hunger. Hunger is simply the way your body is informing you about a need to refuel the organism, so when a craving does not arise from hunger, eating will never be able to satisfy it. After a finished meal, you should feel better not stuffed, bloated, or tired. Your stomach is no bigger that the size of your fist, so it doesn’t takes much food to fill it comfortably. If you are careful to make your portions reasonable this should help you to get more in touch with your feelings of hunger and fullness.
Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Unreasonable eating happens most often after dinner, when you can finally sit down and relax. Sitting down with a bag of chips or cookies in front of the television is an example of eating amnesia, where you unconsciously eat without being hungry, but out of habit. My advice is to simply close down the kitchen after a certain hour. Another solution is to allow yourself a low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop of low-fat ice cream. Once you find that you are normally satisfied with the low-cal snack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea.