It’s no secret that I love food. I love to cook and try new things - dessert included. I believe that if you eat healthy most of the time, one small portion of dessert or any other of the not-so-healthy foods that I enjoy (like mac and cheese!) will not be a problem.

That’s why I pay attention to all the healthy eating tips I can get my hands on. And, that’s also why I don’t like diets. Dropping pounds should not be a miserable endeavor. Some of the best tips are so simple and easy to implement I hardly notice. Here are some of the ones I’ve been implementing lately:

Drink water before every meal. I find that the water curbs my appetite somewhat. Another benefit is that it brings me one step closer to reaching my water goal for the day.

Eat soup. Since beginning my weight loss journey, I eat a lot of vegetable and lentil soups. It makes a nice lunch in a bigger portion with a slice of bread. I also eat it in a small portion (very small) before a larger meal. This helps control my appetite so I don’t consume as many calories during the meal.

Think about healthy desserts. I have a bit of a sweet tooth after dinner. But I’ve learned that this doesn’t need to result in a calorie fest. Dried fruit, yogurt, and soft cheese (like camambert) seem to do the trick. And for days when I really do want chocolate, I keep 70 - 85% dark chocolate on hand. It’s more satisfying and has a ton of antioxidants.

I can do without hard liquor. I’ve also learned that I can do without hard liquor unless I really have a yen for a particular cocktail. For example, I love Irish Coffees. If I know I want one, I eat a salad for dinner and have the cocktail for dessert. Otherwise, I just drink wine with my meals.

Eat breakfast right away. If you eat breakfast right when you wake up, it revs your metabolism for the whole day. I’ve really had to work on this one. I used to wait an hour or more before having breakfast. You really should have it within thirty minutes of waking up.

Drink tea. I drink a lot of tea - mostly when I am working. There was a time when I used to eat mindlessly. Now I’ve replaced that with tea.

I’ve learned all this about myself because I kept track of what I ate for a few days and observed my habits. I think everyone should do this. That way, you can find out what areas you need to work on. For me, this is the relaxed, non stressful approach to weight loss. In fact, it’s actually kinda fun. AND - I’ve lost about three pounds so far.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS