Christmas and New Year’s Eve is that time of year when we prepare our
stomachs for a lot of tasty food, desserts and all kids of calorie bombs. It’s
a debauchery time and a feast for the palate, so sticking to any diet is not an
option. So how does it usually end? With a New Year's resolution: I have to lose weight… so I’m starting
tomorrow. Sounds familiar? So keep reading this post! ;)
Photo: foodandhealth.co.uk
1. Eat breakfast!
If you want the machine to work, first you have to give it a proper fuel.
And it’s exactly the same situation with your body! Breakfast is the most
important meal because it’s the fuel that provides us with the energy for the
whole day (or at least for the first half of the day), so it’s not wise to
skip it! Yes, I know you’ll say that you don’t have time in the morning, but
it’s not an excuse at all! Before going to sleep prepare some food that you can
grab in the morning and eat it on the go. :)
2. Regular meals
Breakfast provides
us with energy for the first half of the day, however we have to maintain its
level in the body by remembering about regular meals. The best you can do is including
in your daily menu 4-5 meals (depending on how long your day is) with equal
intervals, preferably every 3-4 hours. But you have to keep in mind two things,
if you want to succeed: (1) don’t eat snacks between these meals, because this
way digestion will be disrupted; (2) don’t overdo with their size - it’s better
to have 5 smaller portions, that 3 bigger meals. First you might need to set an
alarm clock if you don’t want to miss the time of the meal, but after a while
your body will get used to that regularity and it will remind you of supplying
a fuel in the form of food.
Photo: lifehacker.com
3. Mindful eating
Ok, so you eat regularly, but you want to have smaller portions? Try to
eat slowly, enjoying the taste and the smell of the meal – eating in front of
the laptop or TV is not an option! You can’t lead to a situation that you leave
the table with the filled stomach, so finish eating your meal when you no
longer feel hungry (learn to distinguish between the whim and the real hunger).
4. Go to bed… hungry
The belief that you should not eat after 6pm is a myth. It would be very
difficult to withstand with the rumbling stomach when you go to bed at 2am (yes,
I know it’s possible though). Eat your last, the smallest meal at least 2-3
hours before going to bed. And even if you feel a little hungry, the desire for
an early morning breakfast will be greater. Believe me, the dream is the best teleportation
to breakfast. ;)
Photo: rachaelray.com
5. Plan your weekly menu
Once in a week plan your meals for the following days. Take a moment to
prepare menu consisting of wholesome meals, so this way you’ll consciously
control what lands in your stomach. Having written out your meals make a list
of products you need to prepare them and carry it with you when doing grocery
shopping.
6. Write down
what you eat
What is
the best way to improve your nutrition? Of
course learning from your mistakes! So, create a special notebook in which you
write down everything you eat during the day (and believe me, it can often be
different than your pre-set menu). Be honest with yourself and make a note of
all already committed sins, that you'd rather avoid in the future. At the end
of the week take a self-examination, look
closer at your meals again, think about what you should improve in the next week
and write it down.
Photo: womenshealthmag.com
7. Cheat day (or cheat meal)
When being on a diet you refuse eating sweets and other less healthy food,
so every now and then there are moments of weakness and crises. But you don’t have
to give up on caloric delights forever! Set one particular day in a week (e.g. Saturday
or Sunday) when you can have less restrictive meal. After 6 days of healthy
eating it will not only be your redemption when you’re craving for sweets, but
will boost your metabolism as well.
When to start the
implementation of these habits? Not tomorrow, not on Monday, not since the New Year…
but from now on, now! And you will thank me later… ;)
Let me know what other healthy habits you use to stay
fit! :)
I drink a cup of green tea before sleep. I drink a cup of warm water with juice squized out of a half of a lemon 15min before breakfast. I do not drink together with the meal.
OdpowiedzUsuńI'm guilty of not drinking enough fluids during the day, so I'll have to try starting and ending my day just like you do! :)
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