Avoid fad diets that you can't continue long-term. The basic concepts of healthy diets are to eat a variety of nutritious food and control portions. Whether you are dieting to lose weight or trying to improve your health, following a few diet tips can help to keep you in line with your goals. You can follow these tips whether you're at home, visiting friends or eating out. If you make a mistake on your diet, don't look back and become frustrated. Instead, focus on the present and future and how good you feel when you have a healthy diet.
Everyday Dieting Tips
Establish healthy eating habits that are reasonable and that you can follow everyday. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. Eat five or six small meals rather than two or three large meals to keep your metabolism and blood sugar steady. EatatEase.com recommends avoiding heavy meals late in the day because you won't have time to burn off the calories. Before you eat a meal, drink a glass of water to make you feel full more quickly.
Cut Bad Habits
An article on the Washington Post website recommends breaking bad habits that lead to weight gain. Stop eating while watching television. Avoid all processed sugar and eat fruit when you want something sweet. When snacking, reach for vegetables and fruit. Cut back on meat and dairy. Don't eat restaurant food that isn't healthy.
Eating for Health
Follow the food pyramid recommended by the Mayo Clinic, which lists fruits and vegetables as the largest food group you should eat each day. Next in line are healthy carbohydrates, which include whole grains, followed by protein and dairy and fats with sweets being the smallest group. Helpguide recommends cutting way back on solid fat. Substitute healthier options for butter or fat with fat-free or low fat yogurt and salsa. Read labels and cut out trans fats.
Eating Out
Many restaurant meals have hidden fats, sugars and calories, so do some advanced planning to make healthy choices. If the restaurant has a website, see if the nutritional value of each menu item is listed. If not, stick to plain foods and ask for sauces and dressings on the side. Instead of pouring the sauce over the food, dip the tines of your fork in the sauce or dressing to get a hint of the flavor. Either split a meal with someone else or request half your meal in a to-go box or bag to prevent the temptation of cleaning your plate and overeating.
Holiday Tips
Before you go to a holiday party, have a light, healthy snack to prevent overeating during the event. Avoid alcohol or carry a glass of wine and take tiny sips. If you must eat appetizers, stay with the vegetable tray but avoid the high-calorie dips. You can enjoy all the food during a holiday meal but put the vegetables on your plate first and leave very little room for starchy potatoes and meat. Enjoy dessert but cut the standard serving in half. As the tray of cookies is passed around, take one and don't get seconds. If you are the host of the holiday party, you can control what is served. Offer healthy options with fresh fruits and vegetables. Spend time chatting with the people around you, because it's difficult to stuff food into your mouth when you're talking and laughing.
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