Thread: 15 Best Tips

I got these tips from an article and I thought I share it with today. These are very simple tips for everyone to get you started in losing weight.

Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages
People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need. If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories.

Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. You're also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet.

Consider whether you're really hungry
Whenever you feel like eating, look for physical signs of hunger. Hunger is your body's way of telling you that you need fuel, so when a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it. When you're done eating, you should feel better -- not stuffed, bloated, or tired

Be choosy about nighttime snacks
Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop of low-fat ice cream. Once you find that you're usually satisfied with the low-cal snack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea

Enjoy your favorite foods
Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag. You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation. Putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weight gain because it triggers 'rebound' overeating

Enjoy your treats away from home
When you need a treat suggests taking a walk to your local ice cream parlor or planning a family outing. By making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about the temptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and pleasurable way to make it work when you are trying to lose weight.

Eat several mini-meals during the day
If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But when you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be challenging. Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to control their appetite and weight.

Eat protein at every meal
Protein is more satisfying than carbohydrates or fats, and thus may be the new secret weapon in weight control. Getting enough protein helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning while keeping you feeling full.

Spice it up
Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied. Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much.

Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods
Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes staples on hand sets you up for success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or call in a pizza order if you can make a healthy meal in 5 or 10 minutes.

Order children’s portions at restaurants
When you are eating out, order a child's pizza or a small sandwich as an easy way to trim calories and get your portions under control. Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look like more, and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too.

Eat foods in season
If you don't love certain fruits or vegetables, it could be because you ate them out of season when they have little taste or flavor. When you eat seasonally, fruits and vegetables are more flavorful, at their best.

Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables
Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year. You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables.

Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress
Instead of turning to food for comfort, be prepared with some non-food tactics that work for you. Listen to music, practice meditative deep breathing, write a journal, or sleep. This will keep you from eating when you fell that urge.

Be physically active
Focus on how great you feel, how much better you sleep and how much more energy you have when you exercise. Physical activity is good for you whether you are trying to lose weight or not, so keep it positive and build a lifelong habit.

This is a wonderful post mikaela ! Yeah these are really very easy to follow tips for everyone. For sure many will like this and get an idea where to start in losing weight and in controlling their craving. Thanks for sharing

Choosing to eating healthy is the best thing that we can do to ourselves. If we get used to eating right by reducing junk food consumption, we won't crave for it anymore and start losing weight. Although I eat icecream once in a while but I don't really crave. I prefer to eat fruits because it is a healthy choice of snack and it's really keeping me fit. You don't feel hungry fast compared when you eat lots of carbo.

I couldn't agree with you more sasa. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and nutrients so eating a lot of them will make us healthy, have good skin, and keep us fit

Thanks viktoria. I've used a couple of these tips myself and it helped me to stay on track with my diet.