Learning the proper portion sizes is an effective way to stay within your target calories. Read a guide on the subject and start portion-controlling your meals at home. By doing so, you’ll have less temptation to eat a high-calorie meal or drive to a fast-food restaurant. You can also try the “never two in a row” rule, which means that after a cheat meal, you must make sure to make your next meal nutritious.
Healthy eating
To lose weight, a balanced diet is essential. While it’s not necessary to completely eliminate all high-calorie foods, replacing them with healthier alternatives is an excellent way to reduce your calorie intake. In addition, you’ll need to increase your physical activity levels. There are a few things you can do to make eating healthy more enjoyable.
A healthy diet incorporates more plant-based and less processed foods. This type of diet should contain ample protein and plenty of fruits and vegetables. It should also be low in sugar and salt. It also incorporates “healthy fats” such as fish, olive oil, and other plant-derived oils.
Keeping a meal diary
Keeping a food diary can help you cut back on calories and identify what you eat. In fact, keeping a daily food journal can double the amount of weight you lose from dieting compared to not keeping a diary. You can keep track of all of your meals and even the amount of water you consume. A daily diary can also help you keep track of your total caloric intake for the day.
A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that keeping a food diary can help you lose weight and keep it off. The researchers found that keeping a food diary helps people become more aware of what they are eating and reduce mindless munching. The study also showed that keeping a diary can reveal patterns that cause overeating. By tracking your intake, you can also learn about triggers that lead to overeating, such as alcohol consumption.
Food diaries can also be helpful if you suffer from eating disorders. You should start keeping a diary every day or at least five days a week. Fill in the information as you go or update it at the end of the day. Many experts suggest recording your food right after you eat it, so that you can keep track of your progress.
Another advantage of keeping a food diary is that it can help you pinpoint any food intolerances or other digestive problems. Keeping a food diary can help you identify the triggers of weight gain or weight loss and help you avoid them. It can also help you understand what foods you should avoid in order to lose weight and keep it off.
You can use a smartphone app to record your meals and snacks, or you can use pen and paper. Either way, keeping a meal diary can help you lose twice as much weight as dieting without a food diary. Simply writing down everything you eat increases your awareness and makes you less likely to mindlessly eat.
By keeping a meal diary, you can better understand how much of each of your meals is calorie-dense. When you don’t know how much you’re eating, you’re likely to overeat later. It’s also a good idea to write down what you eat and how it’s prepared. For example, you may want to include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings. In addition, be sure to note the time and place when you eat each of these foods.
Another benefit of keeping a food diary is that it holds you accountable for your actions and habits. It also helps you develop a personal reference guide for future choices and habits. Keep in mind, however, that it’s not for everyone, especially those with eating disorders, obsessive eating habits, and food phobias should not keep a food journal. As a rule, it’s best to keep a food diary for three to six months to see results.
Rewarding yourself for not giving in to food cravings
Rewarding yourself for not giving in to your food cravings is not impossible. However, you must choose the right reward for your needs. In general, the rewards you give yourself should be based on behavior rather than outcome. You can choose something cheap to do like a day trip, or something fun and exciting, such as a beach vacation.
The reward you choose should not derail your weight loss plan because it could be too sweet, or contain too many calories. Pick rewards that are not food based, such as a relaxing bath filled with Epsom salts or an aromatic bath bomb. You can even add candles to the bath to add a calming effect.
