One does not always have to diet to lose weight. You can lose weight by eating the right things.
Fresh Fruit and Veggies
Enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables while not fretting over your weight. It’s usually safe to eat as much as you want, whenever you want.
The high water and fiber content in most fresh fruits and vegetables makes them tough to overeat.
Eat vegetables raw or steamed, not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil or cheese for flavor.
- Add nuts and cheese to salads but remember not to overdo it. Use low-fat salad dressings, such as a vinaigrette made with olive oil.
- Pour a little less cereal into your bowl and put some blueberries, strawberries, or sliced bananas instead.
- Exchange some of the meat and cheese in your sandwich with improved veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.
- Try starting your meal with a salad or soup to help fill you up, so you eat less of your entrée.
You can also lose a lot of weight by setting yourself up by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods are available.
- Eat early, weigh less. Early studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.
- Serve yourself smaller portions. One easy way to control portion size is by using small plates, bowls, and cups. Avoid eating out of large bowls or directly from the food container or package, which makes it tricky to assess how much you’ve eaten. Using smaller utensils, like a teaspoon instead of tablespoon, can slow eating and help you feel full sooner.
- Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You will be more disposed to eat in moderation if you have thought out healthy meals and snacks in advance. You can buy or create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will also help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.
- Cook your own meals. Cooking meals at home allows you to be in charge of both portion size and what goes in to the food. Restaurant and packaged foods usually contain a lot more sodium, fat, and calories than food cooked at home.
