Posts Tagged ‘diet’

The 5 Must-See Pit Stops on the Road to Weight Loss

Diet trends come and go as frequently as the sun rises and sets.  Each one has such amazing benefits in the early stages, but quickly seems to fizzle and fade all the while producing negative byproducts.  Different diets work for different people, but no matter which one works for you there are a few simple facts that are beneficial across the board.

Eat Slower

Untamed lightning is pretty fast, but did you know that it takes 20 minutes or more for the electrical signals that signify fullness to travel from your stomach to your brain?  When you eat faster, you eat more.  You’re likely to overshoot your calorie goals by leaps and bounds if you don’t take your time.  There are plenty of other negative effects from eating too quickly ranging from simple indigestion to far more serious long term issues in your digestive system.  If you eat slower, you chew slower and you’re likely to eat less.

Crash Diets

Crash and fasting diets can provide quick results, but the effects don’t often last.  When you lower your calorie intake to the degree that most of these call for, you significantly lower your rate of metabolism.  It works for a while, and makes perfect sense: if you have fewer calories to burn, you’ll burn them more slowly.  However, once you’re satisfied with your rapid weight loss and end the diet your body retains that rate of metabolism.  Therein lies the problem.  You return to eating as you did before, but your body’s metabolism stays at the same slow rate and the pounds will likely pile back on.

Skipping Meals

It may make sense at first thought that skipping a meal here and there will provide the same result as eating less.  This is another case of “great in theory, poor in execution”.  Skipping meals (especially breakfast) can lead to results similar to the crash diet.  If you skip a meal early in the day you’ll be likely to snack more frequently and lose track of those calories you’ve been keeping watch over.  Frequent, smaller meals or snacks are a great way to maintain your metabolism and curb hunger.

Frequent Weigh-Ins

Set Realistic Goals

When starting a diet it’s of vital importance to have a realistic goal in mind.  Whether it’s a long term or weekly goal, put it within reach.  Give yourself a challenge, but one you can defeat.  With this mindset you’ll be more likely to celebrate your success and continue doing what works best.  If you set out telling yourself that you’re going to lose 25 lbs in your first week, it will have more chance of also being your last.

4 Ways To Fight Allergies With Your Diet

• Omega can be the Alpha to preventing seasonal allergies.

Studies have shown that people who regularly eat foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids suffer less frequently from allergies than those who don’t.  Omega-3’s can act as an anti-inflammatory, and naturally help keep airways from constricting and causing breathing problems related to seasonal allergies.  Cold water fish are high in omega-3 but it’s important to remember that unlike man, not all fish are created equal.  The most commonly available fish are usually farm raised, which means that they miss out on things that would be in their normal diet like algae.  Try specialty groceries where fresh fish is brought in frequently to get the most benefit.  This may carry a higher price tag, so you can also try fish oil supplements to get a healthy dose of omega-3.

• As the weather begins to heat up, encourage your menu to follow suit.

Spicy foods can help to unclog nasal passages by thinning the blood and increasing its flow.  This brings more oxygen to areas that are affected like the lungs and sinuses, and helps thin mucus.  Whether it’s spicy mustard on your hot dog, or some extra wasabi the next time you go for sushi, cranking up the heat can help clear your head.  You just might want to make sure you have a box of tissues handy if you’re cooking at home, or maybe ask your server for some extra napkins.

• Are you lactose intolerant?  You might wish you were.

Dairy products like milk and yogurt may be high in calcium, but their high protein can cause inflammation and excess mucus production.  Try limiting these types of foods, or stopping consumption altogether when your allergies are at their worst.  You can get a much more effective result by starting to remove dairy based foods from your diet by as much as six weeks, but if your allergies are particularly troublesome it’s always better late than never.  Remember, you can always supplement this lack of calcium from dairy with green vegetables, beans, and even almonds.  Also - be wary of extra wheat, and sugar as they, too, can cause excess mucus to form.

• Everybody else seems to be going green, so why not hop on?

Green tea has become a popular beverage trend over the last few years, but do you know why?  Not only is green tea loaded with antioxidants which help keep the body and immune system from breaking down, but it also contains a natural antihistamine.  There has even been some evidence that people who regularly drink green tea may have lower chances of heart disease and certain types of cancer.  Even if green tea in particular isn’t up your alley, most hot teas will still have calming effects and help reduce stress.  The more stressed you are, the more likely your immune system will be to falter, so drink up.

1.    Lose Weight Without Dieting.  Seriously.

Cutting down salt and excess sodium could help you shed pounds without even being on a diet.  When your intake of sodium is too high, your body retains more water.  This can cause up to seven pounds of extra fluid to be kept in the body.  Food servings should have somewhere between 200-400 milligrams of sodium to avoid overdoing it.  You can get rid of a bloated feeling and appearance just by limiting the salt.  If you’re exercising, drink water instead of sports drinks as they can contain the same amount of sodium as a can of soda.
2.    Get. More. Sleep.

More and more research points to a link between sleep deprivation and obesity.  One of the simplest facts is that if you’re up later, you’re more likely to overeat.  Another fact is that when your body is deprived of sleep it changes the levels of hormones that have to do with how full you feel, leptin and ghrelin.  If you get more rest you’re also more likely to have more energy, which will benefit you when implementing an exercise plan.
3.    Crave Control
The next time you have a hankering for that favorite high calorie treat of yours, curb the craving with your mind.  Think of a food that you absolutely hate, and then imagine eating them both together.  Let your imagination run wild with it, but to really hammer it home, focus on the taste and texture and you’ll likely forget that you ever wanted that brownie.

4.    Dine Out Without Gaining
You can eat out and keep from gaining weight by following a few simple rules.  Try asking for the lunch portion, or choosing an appetizer instead of the larger dinner portions.  This will likely guarantee you more of a single serving portion.  Ask for a “to go” box with your order and pack up half of your entrée before you even start eating.  Some places will even let you order half of the order “to go” when it’s served.  Limit starches by skipping the bread before your meal, but if you can’t resist the temptation then try to steer clear of potatoes or rice that may come with your meal.