Dieting is no easy task. It is often frustrating and seems unachievable. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet that will help you shed pounds. It takes determination and willpower and time.
To make it a little easier, here are some tricks and tips to help you get through the day as you are on a diet.
1. Drink a Little Bit of Citrus Juice 10 to 15 minutes before you eat a meal.
Citrus juices, like Orange and Grapefruit, have natural appetite suppressants in them that will help you take the edge off your hunger at dinner time.
But be careful, you can over do it! Personally, too much juice causes me to feel bloated and uncomfortable. I drink about 6 ounces. Anything more might be defeating the purpose of your diet.
2. Put your meal on a bread plate instead of a dinner plate.
If your mother was anything like mine her voice will ring in your head "Clean your plate, young man, there are starving children in China!”
Consequently, I feel compelled to finish all my dinner no matter if I am hungry or not. To this day, I still hate to waste food.
BY using a smaller plate you will still feel compelled to clean your plate, but you will consume less food. This is a little mental trick that makes your mind believe your stomach is full.
3. Avoid the Color Beige
Did you know that beige foods tend to be high in Carbohydrates and Calories, but low in nutrition?
Bread, Rice, and Pasta may taste great, but they can add up to more calories, and more fat.
One cup of refried beans can be 500 CALORIES! And it has very little nutritional value. Not to mention, you will be hungry again in no time. You could eat almost 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, and still not reach 500 calories. So avoid beige, add color to your plate and you will lose weight.
4. Eat Slower.
A lot of times, we eat faster than our body can register that we are full. By eating slower, and consequently enjoying the taste of our food, will make you aware of when to stop.
5. Eat snacks off of a plate instead of from the bag.
When you sit down to watch the football game or dvd, put a serving of chips in a bowl or plate. Having the bag in front of you it too tempting and most people keep reaching into that bag out of habit and not because they are hungry.
6. Carry cash.
According to researchers at Cornell University, people that pay cash for their snacks and meals tend to eat healthier. The reason is simple. It is easy to overspend on a credit card. So once you order that healthy meal you set out to order, it is too tempting to go ahead and order that side of onion rings or slice of cheesecake.
But when you carry cash, you are more conscious of what you are spending and can be more conservative, on your diet and on your wallet.
7. Stay Busy.
You’ve done it before. You get to working on a project and next thing you know, 3 hours have passed! Instead of messing around at work playing solitaire or chatting on Facebook, trying being productive for a change. Not only will your boss love you for it, you are less likely to snack out of boredom! Remember, dieting is about lifestyle changes. Being productive is a positive change.
8. Consider Meal Replacement Shakes
You hear the commercials all the time, “I drink one shake for breakfast and another for lunch and I took off the weight” – A lot of people think they will still be hungry and end up snacking. I can personally vouch for this one because I have done it.
I normally skipped breakfast, so then by midmorning, I would end up eating a honeybun or bagel (completely unhealthy). Then I would waste money going out to lunch with coworkers. Even though the shakes might seem expensive up front, if you do the math, they end up saving you money because you are not constantly buying snacks or lunch while at work.
The shakes give you the necessary nutrients, taste good and fill you up. Plus, if you combine this with Tip #7 “Stay Busy”, you will never even realize you did not eat a traditional meal. Then in the evening, eat a sensible dinner.
My favorite is made by Visalus. It contains an appetite suppressant in it, which helps get me through that late afternoon craving. It also tastes really good. I have tried other brands but could not stick to it because I had to hold my nose while drinking it. And it came out to be $1.07 per meal! That is less than I could normally eat breakfast or lunch for!
Dieting is not fun, but remember this: Nothing Tastes As Good As Fit Feels!
