I wanted to give some good tips on how to stay on track with your nutrition! I know it can be very hard not to stop and get fast food because its convenient or eating some ice cream because you are just craving it! I think we all can struggle with these things! Please comment if you have other suggestions also!!
Before you tear into that bag of potato chips, drink 16oz of water. People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, so you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really all you needed. If plain water doesn't cut it then try cutting up fresh fruit and throwing it in your water to add a little flavor.
Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax. Snacking in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to throw your diet off course. Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie snack. My favorite night time go to is banana ice cream. I freeze bananas and throw one into the blender with a little bit of almond milk and its the same consistence as ice cream! I also will add either strawberries or cocoa powder to give it a different flavor than banana. But the banana gives it plenty of sweetness!
Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag. You can still enjoy your favorite foods -- the key is moderation. Me and my husband love to go out to dinner so what we personally do is have
ONE cheat meal a week during the weekend and we'll go out to eat. Sometimes we don't do so well and it will drag it into Sunday but we try really hard to keep it to one day AND just one meal and then we normally will go out for ice cream afterwards. But I normally try to eat healthy the whole day up until we go out for dinner so I'm not destroying all the hard work I have done. But I know for me if I'm going to be successful and get the results I want I need to indulge once in a while and when I do it once a week it gives me something to look forward to.
ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST. That's where a lot of people go wrong. They don't feel hungry or are too lazy to cook something but what they don't realize they are slowing down their metabolism. If you really don't like to eat breakfast, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home, and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack on an apple and a handful of healthy nuts.
Include fiber!!Fiber aids digestion, prevents constipation, and lowers cholesterol -- and can help with weight loss. Most Americans get only half the fiber they need. To reap fiber's benefits, most women should get about 25 grams daily, while men need about 38 grams -- or 14 grams per 1,000 calories. Good fiber sources include oatmeal, beans, whole grain foods, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes on hand sets you up for success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or order a pizza if you can throw together a healthy meal in five or 10 minutes. Here are some essentials to keep on hand:
Fresh fruits and veggies and raw almonds. When I finish grocery shopping I always chop up my fruits and veggies and bag them up so when I open the fridge I can just grab it so I have no excuse to eat something unhealthy and "convenient".
I really love chopping up a red bell pepper and dipping it in hummus, its so yummy and healthy for you!
I get Crunchmaster whole grain crackers and dip them in hummus.
My FAVORITE meal of the day..SHAKEOLOGY! Its like drinking a chocolate milkshake except its HEALTHY! It completely takes away that chocolate or ice cream craving i have! I feel like I've cheated but I haven't :)
Banana/chocolate ice cream! Frozen banana, almond milk and cocoa powder. Just throw in a blender and you have ice cream! ANNDDD again...its HEALTHY :)
Dates cut into them and stick your favorite raw nuts in them!
