I Get To Eat and Lose Weight!

Have you ever been on a diet or a weight loss program and you thought you were going to starve to death?  Have you only lasted a week on your diet and then went to the refrigerator and acted like the Tasmanian devil ravaging all you could eat?  Did you gain what little weight you had lost because your diet was way too restrictive?  You aren’t alone; I think we have all experienced a restrictive diet which has lead to our failure of losing weight.

Do you believe that if you eat less you will receive the weight loss that you desire?  Back in the 1970 and 1980 this was the strategy that most people considered to be true.  People would go on crash diets like the grapefruit diet and actually lose weight.  What they were actually losing was their muscle mass and fat.  They assumed that eating less was healthier and they would successfully reach their weight loss goals. We now know that total calories are very important, but so is the protein, carbohydrates and fat in our diets.

A healthier way to losing weight is to just lower the calorie intake slightly and eat small meals and snacks about every two to three hours.  This also helps to control the blood sugar; it is a fact that if you control your blood sugar it will also help you lose fat.  Eating small meals also lets your body know that you are giving it energy and that it doesn't need to store fat.  Eating frequently will also help you feel full and keep the hunger away.  Don’t skip meals!

Ways To Avoid Hunger

• Drink plenty of water.  Some say drink 8 glasses a day, others say half your body weight in ounces.
• Eat small meals or healthy snacks every 2 to 3 hours.
• Eat slowly so you can listen to your body telling you when you are full.
• If you have a craving wait 20 minutes to see if it goes away. 
• Take a walk, read a book or find something to occupy your mind instead of eating.
• If your body tells you its hungry then have a light meal or snack.
• Avoid fad diets, they are unhealthy.
• If you’re stressed find another way to relax instead of eating.
• Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep pays a big part in losing weight and staying healthy.

Remember that in order to lose weight you must eat.  I think that is a brilliant idea!! 

 

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