Tag: Stress Control

When you mention the word “DIET,” it generally strikes the fear of God into people, which is why they rarely work. More often than not, being on a diet will make you miserable, especially if you love food. So, instead of using the “D” word, look at managing your weight instead.

The New Year is one of the most popular times to set weight management goals. Losing weight, exercising more, and eating more healthily is consistently among the top New Year resolutions made each January. But, unfortunately, while many of us begin the year with the very best intentions, few of us keep to our resolutions for the first month, let alone a whole year.

So, with the New Year fast approaching and the age-old “New Year, New Me” mantra doing the rounds already, here are some of the best ways to lose any excess weight you may have now and to manage your weight effectively in the future.

1. Eat food that is more filling

You’ve probably noticed that not all foods fill you up in the same way or for the same amount of time. Take breakfast, for example; a bowl of cereal, which is packed full of sugar, won’t fill you up the same as, say, a bowl of oatmeal.

The types of food we eat can determine how full we feel and help keep hunger pangs at bay and stop the temptation to snack between meals. Generally, foods that keep us feeling fuller for longer are high in fiber, protein, and water content.

Some of these filling foods include:

• Avocados (which also burns belly fat)
• Lentils & pulses
• Potatoes
• Nuts
• Pasta
• Fish
• Leafy greens like broccoli and kale

Take a look at any “superfood” list, and you won’t see chips, crisps, chocolate, or pop. These foods are packed full of sugar and fats that make them taste great but they don’t do anything good for our bodies. So the key is to limit how often we consume these types of foods (ideally to no more than once per week) and replace them with healthier alternatives like fruit. We should also try to eat mindfully instead of mindlessly. Mindless eating can be defined as eating whatever is placed in front of us without thinking about what we are putting into our bodies; it’s basically another term for “over-eating. When we do this, we’re not thinking about what we are eating and don’t realize how much food we’ve actually consumed. So try to enjoy your favorite treat a little less often, and you will find that weight management doesn’t seem so difficult after all.

Instead, eat mindfully by focusing on your enjoyment of the food you put in your mouth. When you’re enjoying each bite, it’s harder to eat too much because you can truly appreciate how tasty it is. Also, choose healthy snacks between meals like fruit or yogurt, which provide essential nutrients without all the added sugar, fat, or calories that come with other snacks.

Combining protein with every meal. Protein-rich foods are another great way to feel fuller for longer. The reason for this is that protein takes longer to break down in the body. This means it will keep hunger at bay for longer compared to carbohydrates or fat. Protein can be found in different kinds of foods, including meat, dairy products, eggs, lentils, and beans.

2. Eat Whole Foods

Whole foods don’t mean you eat something in its entirety. Instead, it means they are as nature-made them, with no added sodium, sugar, or fats. Just look at the nutritional information labels on tins and packets the next time you go to the store; the figures speak for themselves.

Eating more whole foods instead of processed food and fast food is a great way to cut calories with minimum effort.

Research Studies have shown that eating a diet that is rich in whole foods can help us maintain a healthy weight and what’s more, whole foods can considerably improve our overall health in many ways, such as lowering both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

3. Start a food diary

Keeping a daily food diary is another great way to monitor what you’re consuming. By seeing exactly how many calories we eat each day, people tend to use portion control without realizing it. Studies also show that writing down everything we eat in a food journal helps us stick to our goals because they literally see every calorie on paper.

Researchers have found that those who keep a written record of not only what they ate but also how much of it they ate actually lose more weight than those who simply restrict their diet without any record-keeping. A bonus effect of keeping a food log is that it acts as an emotional outlet for those who are highly emotional eaters.

4. Beneficial Supplements

Our weight management and diet goals are all different. Some of us want to have more energy, some want to lose a few kilo’s, and some just want to start living a healthier life.

Busy, hectic lifestyles can play havoc with our weight management goals, and sometimes we do have to eat on the go or even skip meals completely if we have a busy day. Supplements can help balance this out, and there are many renowned supplements on the market to help you achieve your goals.

From collagen to apple cider vinegar, Orphic Nutrition offers one of the best forms of supplement help.

5. Change the Way You Exercise

If you are looking to burn off calories, then exercise or some sort of physical activity is a must.  Obviously, the more exercise you get, the better. Not only does exercise help with weight loss and weight management, but it can also improve your skin, mental health, and overall wellbeing.

Exercise is hard to commit to if you aren’t having fun and can sometimes feel like a chore rather than a lifestyle choice. If hitting the gym isn’t for you, but you like working out when others are around you, try something else like Boxercise or, if you’d rather exercise by yourself but lifting weights isn’t really in your remit, try something else, like Yoga.

There are numerous forms of exercise available to us; it’s just finding the one that fits in with what we actually enjoy doing and our lifestyle. Yes, exercise can make us feel better and help us lose weight at the same time. The next time you’re feeling low and in need of a pick-me-up, forget about just having that coffee and head to the gym instead! There’s no denying that physical activity has a positive effect on our bodies and minds. By exercising we release endorphins which are hormones that trigger feelings of pleasure and reward in the brain, thus leaving people with more energy, enthusiasm, and motivation.

With an improved mood, you’ll be more likely to eat healthily because it will give you the energy needed for healthy living. So if your New Year’s resolution this year is to lose some extra pounds, do it the healthy way and start exercising!

6. Stress Control

It may sound strange, but managing your stress is a great way to manage your weight and is often overlooked completely. Stress plays a massive part in everything we do if it is not kept under control; it can lead to messed-up sleeping patterns and unhealthy eating habits such as overeating or skipping meals entirely.

Deep breathing exercises, meditation, taking time out for yourself, and stepping away from stressful situations are just some things that you could start to do to lower your stress levels.

By following these simple steps, you can help to achieve your weight management and diet goals and lead a healthier lifestyle. The more you do it, the better you will become at managing your life and maintaining a healthy body weight without having to feel like you are on a strict regime. No matter your goals when it comes to managing your weight, with some small lifestyle changes, your dreams of being slimmer, healthier, and fitter are within touching distance. On Healthinsiders.com you can check weight loss supplements in the market.