Have you ever read the instructions on the shampoo bottle? Or do you already follow the “wash, rinse, repeat” mantra? Well do you know how that came about? The truth is that you only need to wash once. The concept of doing it twice came from the P&G marketing department decades ago. Why? Well it’s simple. Because you use twice as much, it doubles their shampoo sales!
What does that have to do with dieting? Eating seconds does the same thing to your calorie intake. You really DON’T need seconds after you finish a plate. The logic continues that if you eat twice, you get twice the calories. YOU DON’T NEED THOSE CALORIES!
So if the urge to go back for more hits you, step away. Go take a shower and wash your hair… ONCE.
TODAY: STOP HAVING “SECONDS”.
Tags: calorie reduction, diet advice, diet and calories, diet portions, eat smaller portions, eating healthy, eating less, how many calories to eat, Reducing Calorie Intake
Daily Nag, Food Choices | Diet Nag | 
October 25, 2010 6:32 am | 
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You may think that by eating only a couple of times a day you are “dieting” and should lose weight. Well, that’s not how our bodies work. If you starve yourself your body goes into survival mode and actually stores energy the next time you eat. Now how do you suppose it “stores energy”. It recharges your fat batteries, that’s what it does. It slows your metabolism to use less food and puts some away for later.
You should eat five or six small meals a day that are no more than three hours apart. It will kep your metabolism in high gear, your hunger in check, and your blood sugar even. Your mood will be better and you won’t be tempted to overeat at the meals. In other words, eat more (often) to eat less.
TODAY: START EATING SEVERAL SMALL MEALS A DAY.
A lot of different foods that is. It will keep you satisfied. Eating the same kinds of food or the usual stuff doesn’t give you the satisfaction you crave, so you’re tempted to eat more. So try something different like tuna mixed with diced apples. The tastes actually complement each other. Just toss some different crisp vegetables.
Try some new flavors you may have not had in a while, like sardines, kipper snacks, cottage cheese, cold leftovers from the grill. Then add sides like fresh fruits, melon, nuts and even dried fruits. The protein will keep you satisfied longer. Just be careful about the portions.
TODAY: EAT SOMETHING NEW OR THAT YOU HAVEN’T HAD IN A WHILE.
Add spices to your food to add more flavor. It can help you feel satisfied. It will stimulate your taste buds so you won’t eat as much.
Intense sweets can do the same thing. Those little sugar-free Altoids and other powerful candies can do the same to curb cravings. Those and a hot cup of coffee can keep you going till you can have a protein filled snack or meal.
TODAY: KEEP UP THE FASTER PACE WHEN WALKING
Some people go on a diet and stop eating some meals. in particular breakfast falls off the schedule. It seems so easy to skip it that many people never eat it. That’s a bad habit. Breakfast is really good for you in a number of ways.
- You stoke your furnace to get your body (and brain) going.
- You get your metabolism started so it burns more calories as it fuels your body.
- You will actually consume fewer calories during the day. (You won’t be starving at lunch.)
It’s supported by research at the University of Texas. They studied the food diaries of almost 600 men and women and found that the more they ate in the morning, the fewer calories they ate during the day.
So eat your breakfast do give your diet a fast break. (After yesterday’s post I won’t say that “the early bird catches the worm”.)
TODAY: HAVE A GOOD HEALTHY BREAKFAST. THEN TAKE A GOOD HEALTHY WALK.
I picked up a big watermelon at the produce stand on Friday. Two dollars and fifty cents went a long way over the past three days. Loads of satisfying natural sugar, refreshing cold liquid that dripped all over the place while munching on the triangle wedges. Though it seems that it’s a splurge that would blow a diet, it turns out that the whole melon probably had less than 1000 calories. Some references even list watermelon as a negative calorie food, which is of course a mythical food. Even at a little over 300 calories a day it wasn’t bad for the diet at all. The refreshment and flavor was a perfect accent to a summer weekend. I think I’ll treat myself again next Friday.
TODAY: SET A SMALL EXERCISE GOAL FOR EACH DAY THIS WEEK THAT YOU CAN MEET.
Call them garbanzo beans, chic peas, or spanish beans but call them part of your diet. They’s really good for you in a number of ways. They are loaded with protein, fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All those things are good for your diet and heart. A surprising bonus is that they actually lower your total cholesterol and (bad) LDL while raising your HDL (good) levels. Eating about 25 ounces per week for 12 weeks is all you need to make this magic happen. That’s not all though. Insulin levels also improved and participants in the study actually lost weight without diet OR exercise. (Imagine how great you’ll do!)
Toss some whole beans on your salads. Puree them with some seasoning and olive oil to make hummus. Add them to three-bean salad. I like them with shredded cheese and a sweet and sour dressing (Splenda NOT sugar) They’re tasty, inexpensive. and filling.
TODAY: ADD GARBANZOS TO YOUR MENU.
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