Picture it, getting into your pajamas, settling into bed with your significant other. You are both probably tired, a bit worn out from the day, and craving a little bit of romance. But before you know it, your bedside clock is telling you it’s already time to get up for the day. And, as usual, this is when the real fun begins. You want to go for a walk, meet friends for coffee, or head to the grocery store to get some dinner ingredients to make a simple and delicious meal. Unfortunately, as exhausted as you may be, these are all things your body needs to avoid — especially when you’re trying to lose weight. If you really want to make the most of your evening, prepare to eat the foods your body needs to function at its best. This way, you will enjoy your evening, and see impressive results when you wake up in the morning.
Eat To Fuel Your Body
During the day, you naturally consume foods to provide your body with fuel to get through the day. After all, consuming food will always give you energy. While it is essential that you eat to provide your body with the fuel it needs to function properly, it’s important not to overdo it. In fact, you should only eat what’s necessary and avoid going overboard. This is especially important if you’re trying to lose weight as you may end up losing a lot of calories accidentally. If you want to shed those extra pounds, you should consider cutting down on the foods your body doesn’t need and instead focus on consuming what it does need. Cut back on the carbohydrates, consume more vegetables and lean protein, and watch the weight disappear.
Avoid Fruit
Fruit is a delicious and nutritious addition to any diet, but it can also become a major contributor to your daily calories. A medium sized apple, for example, contains around 80 calories, while a cup of strawberries has only 45 calories. It’s pretty easy to eat too much fruit, and since it’s highly addictive, you won’t be able to avoid it entirely. If you really want to lose weight, avoid going for fruit snacks and instead opt for the real thing, such as an apple or orange. Not only will this help prevent overeating, but it will also provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Eat What Is Served To You
Certain restaurants and cafes will deliberately over serve you, knowing that you are trying to shed some pounds. They may serve more food than you can eat, because they want to encourage you to come back for more. While this may be tempting, you should probably decline the offer and instead wait until you’re left with only what’s served to you. There is nothing worse than coming home from a hard day at work or school, wanting to relax and unwind, and being served a huge meal that you can’t finish. It completely defeats the purpose of getting your health back if you keep over eating what’s served to you. On the contrary, if you eat what is served to you in moderation, you will be able to make the most of what your body needs and avoid any adverse effects that eating too much may have.
Skip The Bread
Bread is pretty high in calories and doesn’t provide your body with much else aside from those calories. If you really want to lose weight, you should avoid buying and using bread as an item to snack on. It’s better to opt for some gluten-free crackers or popcorn instead. These will help you avoid excessive calories while still maintaining a crunchy texture in your mouth, which makes you feel like you’re actually eating something healthy. Plus, popcorn is extremely low in calories and high in fiber, making it one of the best carbohydrates to have when trying to lose weight.
Avoid Grains And Potatoes
Grainy foods and potatoes are the food group you need to avoid if you want to lose weight. These foods contain a lot of calories, and aside from the fact that they are usually considered to be ‘empty calories’, they also don’t provide your body with much else. For instance, a medium sized potato chip has about 150 calories, while a cup of regular rice has about 200 calories. The above examples show you that even though these foods may be high in fiber, they aren’t healthy for your body. Instead of having these foods, you should opt for something healthier such as fruit or vegetables. Grains and potatoes are usually used as an item to bulk up a dish or create a thicker texture, so you may end up consuming more calories than you would if you opted for the regular option. Cut back on these foods and opt for veggie-based alternatives if possible.
Consume More Vegetables
When you eat vegetables and fruit, you are providing your body with important nutrients that it needs in order to function. These foods are important for many reasons, but one of the most significant is that they contain antioxidants and other nutrients which act as — or may even be able to undo — the damage that has been done by free radicals in your body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to your tissue, but these nutrients neutralize them, protecting your body and giving you a better chance at living a long and healthy life. Many people underestimate the benefits that vegetables and fruit provide, but you should definitely include more of these foods in your diet if you want to lose weight. This way, you will maintain healthy skin and a strong immune system, among other advantages.
Reduce The Alcohol
Alcohol is very high in calories, and if you drink alcoholic beverages in excess, you will most certainly gain weight. There is no sugar coating it; alcohol causes your body to store extra calories as fat, making you more susceptible to weight gain. If you want to drink for health reasons, you should stick to wine or other healthier drinks. The above examples show you that even though these foods may be good for your body, they won’t help you lose weight —at least not at first. Your best bet is to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume, and when you do lose weight, you will more than likely keep it off.
Eat What Is Served To You Innately
Certain restaurants and cafes will know that you’re trying to lose weight, and they may serve you foods that are low in calories. If you eat what is served to you in moderation rather than go for foods with low calorie counts, you will be able to make the most of what your body needs and avoid any adverse effects that eating too much may have. This is why you should try to eat only what is served to you inherently, instead of making choices based on what is most convenient or available for you to buy. Going for what is served to you will put you in a better position to lose weight, rather than opting for what is served in a warmer or another restaurant down the road. Plus, you will be eating what is genuinely good for you, instead of some processed junk that may be high in calories but low in nutrients.
Eating What Is Served To You
If you follow the above advice, you will put yourself in a better position to lose weight. This means that you will follow what is being served, instead of making changes to suit yourself or your goals. In order to do this, you will need to spend more time in the kitchen, learning how to make healthier choices or go for recipes that suit your needs. If you are aiming for a certain weight, it’s important to set a goal and work towards it. Once you have accomplished this, you may decide to keep your new found dietary habits or switch to a healthier option altogether. The choice is up to you!
When we think about dieting and what to eat to lose weight, the first thing that usually comes to mind is ‘calories’. The truth is that while it is important to control the number of calories you consume, this should not be the only consideration. Your body needs nutrients too, and you must ensure that your diet provides these nutrients in sufficient amounts. For example, eating too few vegetables can cause serious deficiencies in vitamins and fiber, both of which are essential for good health. Likewise, limiting yourself to drinks with high fructose corn syrup may cause your blood sugar to become unstable, leading to health problems down the line. Instead of thinking about calories, how about we think about nutrients instead?