Cheryl A. Major is a volunteer contributor to WestfordCAT News. Subscribe to our free, online newsletter.
While I don’t believe in dieting, because I frankly think diets don’t work, many of us are wired to diet. My point of view is that if that mindset helps you get started on the road to long term healthier eating, have at it!
Arming yourself with information is a great way to begin a new diet/way of living in harmony with your mind, body and good healthy food. Here are ten “dieting facts” to get you started:
- Skipping meals is not beneficial – Although many individuals think otherwise, skipping meals is not a good idea. You want to eat in a way that keeps your blood sugar level. Skipping meals will not only cause your blood sugar to drop, you’ll be hungrier later. That means you will be tempted to eat more and will tend to be less selective about what you eat.
- Soup fills you up – Soup is very important for your diet especially if one of your goals is to lose weight. Soup is healthy, fills your stomach up and keeps it feeling full for longer periods. Eating soup is an excellent addition to any diet. However, be careful not to load it up with noodles or pasta, which will defeat your caloric intake goals. If you’re eating prepared soup, check for ingredients like MSG, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils and gluten just to name a few ingredients to avoid. You’ll be amazed what prepared foods contain!
- A diet high in fiber – Research shows that a diet high in fiber keeps you feeling full for longer periods of time. Fiber is a wonderful addition to your diet if you’re not already incorporating it into your daily routine. Go get some celery which is very high in fiber; you’ll actually burn calories digesting it!
- Diet without exercise may cause weight gain to return – Many people feel that if they diet for a short period of time, say six to eight weeks, they will lose weight and keep it off. This may work for a little while, but if you don’t incorporate exercise into a diet with changed eating habits, that weight is likely to come right back. Remember, health is a holistic endeavor.
- Breakfast fuels your body – Skipping breakfast is a sure-fire way to eat more calories later in the day. Eating a balanced breakfast of protein and complex carbohydrates fuels your body and keeps you going throughout the day. Skipping breakfast guarantees you’ll be reaching for as many carbs as you can before lunch to keep you from crashing.
- Water hydrates you and aids in dieting – Drinking plenty of water hydrates your body and keeps you alert and energetic. If you’re dieting, your body will invariably go through many changes. Keeping your body hydrated allows you to stay focused on your goals.
- Eat carbs – Carbohydrates are necessary at some point as they give you energy. Choose carbohydrates that are complex and high in fiber rather than simple carbs like muffins (used to be one of my favorites…), regular pasta or white bread.
- Too much of anything is not usually a good idea – Too much of anything is not good in any area of life. If you eat a diet that only consists of protein, for example, you’ll be depriving your body of many essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly.
- Eating late at night is generally not a good idea – Pay attention to what you eat throughout the day, and you’ll be less inclined to need a late night snack. If you must, have a handful of nuts or a bit of fruit, and just a little to take the edge off your hunger.
- You have to continue to maintain a healthy diet. In order for weight to stay off, you have to continue doing what you did to lose it in the first place. In the end, aim for a change in life style rather than a temporary diet, and those changes will serve you well!
Helping You Achieve Major Wellness!
Cheryl A Major lives in Westford and is a Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. Her TV show Thin Strong Healthy airs on WestfordCat and is an offshoot of her blog http://ThinStrongHealthy.com Cheryl offers ongoing information and personal health coaching to help you feel better and be healthier. Follow Cheryl on Twitter @CherylAMajor. She is also a full time residential Realtor with Coldwell Banker with more than 25 years experience.
Questions? Email Cheryl at cheryl@thinstronghealthy.com and be sure to put Health Question in the subject line. Your question and its answer will be included in a future article
