Posted on
January 30, 2010 by
admin
These tips will teach you about what you need to keep in mind while making changes to your diet.
Choose to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans. The benefits of these choices are enormous! These foods actually are chock full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy phytochemicals.
Vitamins and minerals all work overtime to keep your body functioning appropriately. Fiber adds bulk to the food you eat all that gives you a sense of fullness and satisfaction, and keeps your digestive system working smoothly. Phytochemicals are the new kids on the block. They are the source of healthy antioxidants and other compounds all that benefit us in a multitude of ways scientists have only begun to discover.
Add a little amount of lean meat and fish, and low-fat milk products to round out and to make balance your diet. But give emphasis to the fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans.
Eat fewer refined carbohydrates. Yes it actually means cutting back or eliminating sweets even and refined breads and cereals. Instead choose to eat those whole grains whenever possible. Look for whole grain listed first on the ingredient list and products with more than the two grams of fiber per serving. Four or more grams per serving are better.
Drink lots of water! Six to eight glasses of water are really best. Tea and a small amount of fruit juice can be a source of some of that water. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of additional fruit juice in your diet sugary drinks, or alcoholic beverages.
Avoid highly processed foods with added sugars, artificial sweeteners or excessive fat. Many low-fat cookies, cakes, cookies, chips, crackers, and desserts are high in refined carbohydrates and calories and have little or no fiber.
Determine how many calories you actually need. Be realistic! Calculate your basal metabolic rate and calculate the additional energy (calories) you need for daily activities. Most women need a minimum of 1200 calories and men 1600 calories a day to prevent their metabolism from slowing down.
Keep a food diary to keep track of your food choices and also count calories at least for a week or two. Putting in the time and effort to do this may not be fun. But the benefits are HUGE. You will likely gain some essential insight about your current food habits and then what you need to do to change.
Learn what triggers you to overeat. Jot some notes in your food diary each time you reach for food. Were you actually hungry or were you eating just because the food was there and you could? Was the food a reward or means of soothing your anger or frustration after a difficult day?