Posted Wed, Aug 20, 2008, 10:20 am PDT
SOURCE: Yahoo Health
I really like some of these suggestions, even if I still count exchanges.
I've
never been a big fan of counting calories. In fact, in the past year, I
have lost about 30 pounds without counting a single dietary digit.
Sure, I know recording everything you put in your mouth can help peel
off pounds, but I also know that obsessing over calories makes you more
likely to eat lowfat, low-fiber foods that wouldn't satiate a starling.
Instead of crunching numbers, I munched on healthy food to
become a weight loss success. If a food lover like me can do it, you
can, too! Try these tips:
• Pick up produce.
Have at least one fruit and veggie at every meal. On busy days when I
know my lunch won't have a smidge of green in it, I have two fruits at
breakfast; I toss berries or peaches into my nonfat Greek yogurt and
sprinkle it with granola. I love asparagus, green pepper, sun-dried
tomatoes, sprouts, endive and more. Fruits and veggies are high in
fiber, which staves off hunger. Shoot for nine servings daily. It
sounds like a lot, but if you don't have to be a rabbit to reach that
goal. Eat a salad at lunch or dinner, and you're there.
• Snack smart.
Add protein (such as a stick of lowfat string cheese or Parmesan) to
your between-meal bites. Research suggests protein may enhance the
effect of leptin, a hormone that reins in appetite. I love hummus and
dip veggies into it instead of pita bread or crackers. Protein is also
filling and can help curb cravings for chips, cookies and the like.
• Sip more water.
Dieters who swapped sugary drinks for water lose weight, but those who
gulped the most H20 peeled off the most pounds, according to a study at
the meeting of Obesity Society in Boston. Don’t love agua? Try the
flavored kind but check the label for sugar content (it should be below
8 grams per serving).
• Map out your meals. A
little attention to portions can help you eat less and still stay
satisfied. Start by using a salad dish (8 inches in diameter) and
divide it into quarters to help keep helpings healthy. Half the plate
should get veggies, top another quarter with lean protein (3 to 6
ounces of fish, chicken or tofu) and the last quarter with whole grains
(1/2 to 1 cup of brown rice, sweet potatoes or whole wheat pasta).
• Eat every meal.
When you wait longer than five hours between bites, your body may
release extra cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite. I call it
"hangry." I get hungry and angry: My stomach starts to burn
and my brain gets annoyed at every little thing. Then I eat whatever is
in front of me, usually a cookie or other sweet, empty-calorie treat. I
realize I'm putting out the "hangry" fires, but it is better not to get
there in the first place!
