Here are 7 simple habits that can help anyone enjoy a healthy diet
and keep their weight under control without feeling hungry all the time.
1.
Always drink a glass of water before eating a meal. This fills your
tummy so you are not as hungry. It also helps to relieve any cravings.
Some cravings are not for food but are actually cravings for water. Your
body may be feeling dehydrated. Coffee and soft drinks actually cause
more dehydration. Plain old water is what your body wants. If ice water
gives you a tummy ache, just ask for water without any ice. Some
Hollywood celebrities carry a supply of bottled water in their cars and
they secretly drink a bottle before going into a restaurant to meet
their friends.
2. Always start your meal with a salad. Salads fill
you up and are low in calories. Skip the creamy and fatty dressings and
get an olive oil and vinegar type instead. Olive oil is one of the fats
that are good for you. Get in the habit of eating salads with lunch and
dinner whenever possible. If you need a between-meals snack, try some
veggies dipped in nonfat ranch dressing. Salads and raw vegetables are
filling and satisfying.
3. Use a smaller plate when eating at
home. Larger plates encourage you to eat larger portions. This fact is
not lost on restaurant owners. It is no secret that restaurant plates
have grown larger and larger over recent years. The reason is simply to
make more money. Restaurants need to make as much money as they can from
each table of customers. When you sit down to eat they want you to buy a
larger more costly meal. They don't care about your waistline, only
about their own bottom line.
4. Split an entree when dining at a
restaurant that serves large portions. When asking a dining companion to
split an order, just say that you never finish it all and you don't
want to see it go to waste when there are children who go to bed hungry.
Who can argue with that? Many people will be relieved to have someone
to split an entree with. They never eat the whole meal either. Plus you
will either both save some money or you can use the extra money to order
something extra-fancy as to reward yourselves.
5. At breakfast time, get in the habit of having
scrambled eggs or oatmeal. These two foods make low fat, healthy meals
that fill you up and keep you going all morning. Professional athletes
swear by these two breakfasts. One woman who won a "best body" contest
said she ate scrambled eggs (Eggbeaters) every single day. You can have
some ham with your eggs once in a while but just be sure to pass on the
fatty fried bacon and sausage.
6. Eat more chicken at lunch and
dinner. You can't go wrong with grilled, skinless chicken breast. It is a
low fat, high protein food that models and bodybuilders live on every
day. Grilled chicken can be prepared in such a variety of ways that you
can eat it five times per week and not have the same meal twice. Some
choices are chicken fajitas, chicken Caesar salad, teriyaki chicken, barbecued chicken, chicken and pasta, you name it.
7.
Skip dessert. You will have a lot of company. A recent restaurant
industry study showed that sales of dessert are down and continue to go
down. Many people get in the habit by practicing saying "Oh no thanks, I
never eat dessert." After a while it becomes a habit. Some desserts
pack on more fat and calories than the entire meal did. Skip dessert and
if you crave chocolate bring some along. Those after dinner chocolates with
mint are always nice to clear the palate and make you feel like you've
had a small indulgence.