Wondering what the trick is to losing weight and keeping it off for good? I know I am always reading, researching, and learning! Plus I feel like an expert since I have been on weight-loss diets and programs since I was a young adult. I am excellent at losing weight! It’s keeping it off that kicks my tail!
When it comes to eating healthy and watching your weight, you’ve probably read all the advice and been fed a bunch of hype as well as received your share of misguided advice. Here are a few suggestions for eating to lose weight without depriving yourself entirely or going to extremes.
8 Must-Know Tips for How to Eat to Lose Weight – without Starving OR Sacrificing Your Favorite Foods
Reduce portions gradually.
You don’t need to be in a rush to experience weight loss. In fact if you try to lose weight too quickly you will very likely sabotage your own effort. One smart approach would be to reduce portion sizes until you are down a pant size, then reduce portion sizes again to fit your new, smaller frame and continued goals to lose weight in a healthy, gradual way.
Combine exercise with smart meal planning.
It doesn’t have to be extreme exercise. 30 minutes of brisk walking counts as cardio exercise. Do this for at least a 30 minutes/ 5 days per week, and you’re on your way to being a slimmer, fitter version of beautiful you.
Focus on the feelings.
We tend to forget that eating too much or eating very rich fattening foods makes most people feel sluggish and lethargic. That chronically tired feeling need not be a part of your daily existence. Once you replace poor eating habits with smart choices, you will find your energy levels increase and level out as your blood sugar levels out. This means you are doing the right thing.
Meal prepping is essential.
The problem with fast food and take-out meals from restaurants is that there’s usually a lot of sodium and additives present in these types of foods. Chicken and broccoli from the Chinese place sounds healthy enough, but you’d be surprised how much extra sugar and sodium are present in those flavorful sauces that make takeout taste so good. Sodium causes you to retain water. If the food you are eating also has MSG then that will cause a whole host of health issues including contributing to sugar cravings.
Also, when we order food from a restaurant we tend to search out the biggest value for our dollar. One heaping plate of food meets our expectation for how much we have paid. So first, maybe we rationalize that we’ll be able to stretch this super-sized portion, take it home for another meal. However, realistically, most people eat the entire serving… even though as far as weight loss goes there are likely three portions to be had in what we just ordered. This is a huge cause of weight gain or an inability to lose weight.
Keeps goals small – at first
If weight loss goals seem overwhelming, just go with a single, small goal. This will help you change your habits and will likely create a positive result. From there you can gain momentum and add more goals. So for example, say you start small. You’ve introduced some healthy snacks into your daily diet and have successfully reduced portions. You’re starting to have more energy. That’s step one, achieved. Now add a goal. Maybe it’s getting in some cardio exercise 3-5 days per week. As you make your forward leaps, you continue to make changes.
Keep hunger at bay… the healthy way.
One thing fit, healthy people do is feed their bodies small amounts of nutritious fuel. This prevents them from caving to cravings and choosing the wrong types of snacks that bring a sugar high followed by a crash. Think small servings of protein such as a handful of nuts, hummus, hard boiled egg, or a spoonful of nut butter paired with a complex carb like celery sticks or whole grain crackers.
Limit your time spent with people who don’t take your health and weight loss goals seriously.
Not everyone in our life will be on the same page when it comes to health, wellness, or fitness goals. If you find that family members or friends poke fun, don’t offer support, or constantly tempt you with unhealthy choices, foods and habits, you may want to limit contact with these folks while you set yourself up to achieve your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals.
Choose healthy fats.
The misconception has been that people on a diet should steer clear of fats. The difference is in the type of fat you choose. Healthy fats like avocado, nut and seed oils, and nut butters feed our endocrine system and help to regulate our hormones. They also assist with digestion of vitamins and minerals from green, leafy and colorful vegetables.
Write it down! Plan daily and commit to small steps. That is what I do and it helps me. Every day is a new beginning! We can do it!
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.