Posts tagged: Reducing Calorie Intake

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Have you ever read the instructions on the shampoo bottle? Or do you already follow the “wash, rinse, repeat” mantra? Well do you know how that came about? The truth is that you only need to wash once. The concept of doing it twice came from the P&G marketing department decades ago. Why? Well it’s simple. Because you use twice as much, it doubles their shampoo sales!

What does that have to do with dieting? Eating seconds does the same thing to your calorie intake. You really DON’T need seconds after you finish a plate. The logic continues that if you eat twice, you get twice the calories. YOU DON’T NEED THOSE CALORIES!

So if the urge to go back for more hits you, step away. Go take a shower and wash your hair… ONCE.

TODAY: STOP HAVING “SECONDS”.

Eat More Meals

You may think that by eating only a couple of times a day you are “dieting” and should lose weight. Well, that’s not how our bodies work. If you starve yourself your body goes into survival mode and actually stores energy the next time you eat. Now how do you suppose it “stores energy”. It recharges your fat batteries, that’s what it does. It slows your metabolism to use less food and puts some away for later.

You should eat five or six small meals a day that are no more than three hours apart. It will kep your metabolism in high gear, your hunger in check, and your blood sugar even. Your mood will be better and you won’t be tempted to overeat at the meals. In other words, eat more (often) to eat less.

TODAY: START EATING SEVERAL SMALL MEALS A DAY.

Spice Up Your Diet

Add spices to your food to add more flavor. It can help you feel satisfied. It will stimulate your taste buds so you won’t eat as much.

Intense sweets can do the same thing. Those little sugar-free Altoids and other powerful candies can do the same to curb cravings. Those and a hot cup of coffee can keep you going till you can have a protein filled snack or meal.

TODAY: KEEP UP THE FASTER PACE WHEN WALKING

Weight Loss Starts Bright & Early

Some people go on a diet and stop eating some meals. in particular breakfast falls off the schedule. It seems so easy to skip it that many people never eat it. That’s a bad habit. Breakfast is really good for you in a number of ways.

  • You stoke your furnace to get your body (and brain) going.
  • You get your metabolism started so it burns more calories as it fuels your body.
  • You will actually consume fewer calories during the day. (You won’t be starving at lunch.)

It’s supported by research at the University of Texas. They studied the food diaries of almost 600 men and women and found that the more they ate in the morning, the fewer calories they ate during the day.

So eat your breakfast do give your diet a fast break. (After yesterday’s post I won’t say that “the early bird catches the worm”.)

TODAY: HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY BREAKFAST. THEN TAKE A GOOD HEALTHY WALK.

Are You Really Hungry?

One of the keys to eating less is knowing what it feels like to be full and what it feels like to be hungry. We tend to eat at the same times every day, and eat the same amount of food. But we don’t consume calories the same every day. You may mow the lawn one Saturday, but the next it rains and you sit inside watching TV. If you eat the same amount on both of thoe days guess what happens. Oh, I forgot, it already has.

When you are really hungry your stomach will rumble, you’ll feel sluggish, you get irritable. But think before you eat. How long has it been since you last ate? How much did you eat? How much are you planning to eat? Then get a nice big drink of water. Thirst and hunger are very similar to our brains. It’s not that you are filling your belly with water, you may be giving your body what it wants. The calories would have been bad. You would still be craving, and you would be craving that drink that you should have had in the first place.

TODAY: HAVE AN 8 OUNCE GLASS OF WATER BEFORE YOU EAT.

There’s Always Room for Diet Jello

It’s that easy. A great desert with very few calories and no carbs. Top it with real whipped cream (no sugar added) and you’ve maintained the low carb diet and given yourself a nearly decadent treat. Diet success is spelled J-E-L-L-O

TODAY: HEAD TO A PARK AND DOUBLE YOUR WALKING DISTANCE.

750 Calories Less Should Do It

diet-nag-sqI told you yesterday to start making some small changes. Well a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that reducing  your daily intake by just 750 calories and increasing your exercise level is the best way to maintain a diet. It also lets you lose weight gradually. Amazingly, any combination of diet types works. Click here to watch the story as it was reported on the NBC Nightly News.

Again I’ll nag you… eat less, exercise more.

TODAY: ADD AN EXTRA 10 MINUTES TO YOUR EXERCISE TIME