Implementing quick and easy diet tricks into your daily life increases your chances of reaching your diet goals. Make small modifications to prepare easy foods ahead of time so you are less tempted to consume nutrient-poor foods. Cook extra servings of healthy meals and package them in portable containers, ready to bring to work for your breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Boil Eggs on Sundays
Make it easy to include protein in your meal by boiling a dozen eggs. Leave the eggs on the counter to come to room temperature. Put the eggs in a pot, fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil for five minutes. Then, cover the pot for 15 minutes. Drain the hot water and cool under cold water for one minute. Next, peel the eggs and package two eggs to a sandwich bag, ready to pack or eat throughout the week.
Portion Your Nuts
Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to prepare your favorite, unsalted nut. Open up five, fold-top sandwich bags and pour 1/4 cup of nuts into each bag. Deflate and tie each bag, ready to for the week.
Combine Protein and Fat with Carbs
When you eat carbohydrate-rich foods, your blood sugar rises. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast a food item raises your blood sugar. Eat an egg, olives, cheese or meat whenever you have grains or fruits, reducing the rate at which your blood sugar rises. This reduces how much insulin is released into your blood, improving your ability to burn body fat.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drink a tall glass of water every time you eat. If you are a woman, drink 11 cups of water throughout the day. If you are a man, drink 16 cups of water per day. This enables you to exercise harder and longer, improving the number of calories you burn while you workout.
Cook in Cast Iron
Prepare your meals in a cast iron skillet. Your foods will absorb iron, necessary for transporting oxygen from your lungs to your exercising muscles. Include acidic foods and beverages when you cook meats and chicken, further enhancing your absorption of iron.
Follow a Low-Carb Diet
When you eat plenty of protein such as lean meats, chicken and lean dairy products, your pancreas releases more glucagon compared to insulin. If you eat plenty of carbohydrates, your body releases more insulin. Glucagon is a hormone that enhances your ability to break down body fat while insulin signals your body to store fat. Fill your breakfast, lunch and dinner plate with 40 percent from grains, fruits and vegetables, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from healthy fats.
References
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; The Science of Hydration; Beth Stover, M.S., CSCS, and Bob Murray, Ph.D.; Mar./Apr. 2007
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; The Glycemic Index and Weight Control; R. Paul Gustafson, Ph.D.; June 2008
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Iron Deficiency in Physically Active Adults; Pamela Hinton, Ph. D.; September/October 2006
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Low-Carbohydrate Diets Promote a More Favorable Body Composition Than Low-Fat Diets; Jeff Volek, Ph.D., RD, et al; February 2010
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