When you're on a diet, you need to be careful about what you eat. You know what you're supposed to eat, but it can be hard to find the time to make unfamiliar dishes or seek out healthier alternatives to your reliable stand-bys. There are, however, ways to eat well on fewer calories without too much fuss.
Research
The glycemic index rates foods according to how quickly they cause blood sugar to rise and fall again. This well-researched tool can help you control the hunger and cravings that often derail a diet. Foods with a high glycemic index digest quickly, causing you to experience a quick rush of energy followed by a steep drop that may leave you feeling tired and hungry soon after you eat. Foods with a low glycemic index digest more slowly and provide a steady supply of energy and a gradual return of hunger. To reduce the glycemic index of a meal, include foods that contain fiber, protein, fat and/or acid and minimize simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and refined flours. This can be as simple as adding a handful of nuts or beans to a meal, swapping whole grains for processed grains or substituting cheese, meat or tofu for some of the pasta on your plate.
Approach
To create meals with a satisfying portion size, choose foods with low-energy density. These include fruits and vegetables, broth-based soups, whole grains or any food that is both low in calories and high in bulk. To keep it simple, rely on canned, frozen or dried soup and beans, keep fresh fruit on hand, leave whole grains to cook in a timed steamer so they're ready when you come home or make homemade soup when you have time and store in the fridge or freezer.
Substitutions
If you like pasta, two types of Asian specialty noodles can help you significantly reduce calories; you don't even need to cook them. Shirataki noodles and kelp noodles are both nearly calorie free and come packed in water, ready-to-eat. Look for them in the refrigerated section of Asian markets, natural food stores and some supermarkets. Both go well with a variety of sauces, including Italian tomato sauce.
Breakfast
Most health experts recommend a healthy breakfast. For many people, however, this meal needs to be quick, satisfying and, possibly, portable. For a breakfast with a low glycemic index, choose high-fiber cereals. Hot cereal can be thinned with milk or water and poured into a mug if you don't have time for a sit-down morning meal. Other ideas for a satisfying-but-easy breakfast include breakfast burritos, smoothies and a waffle or slice of whole grain toast smeared with nut butter. Packaged burritos can be an especially good choice for dieters who struggle with serving size measurements and portion control.
Quick Snacks
Sometimes, you need a quick, simple, high-energy snack to power through a workout, make it through a meeting or numb hunger long enough to make a sensible meal. For these occasions, consider nuts or nuts mixed with fresh or dried fruit. The fat and protein content of nuts helps slow down digestion and provides you with staying power you can't get from fruit alone, which mostly contain fast-digesting sugars. To stick within your calorie limits, keep premeasured bags in your car, desk, purse or gym bag.
Member Comments