CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS

Make a permanent change in how you eat.

1) Limit, but don't cut out high fat foods: dietary fat can be stored if taken in excess; however, some fat intake must be maintained to prevent the body from storing every bit of fat it does get. (see #6).

2) Limit high sugar and high glycemic index foods (including fruit): Simple sugars (and many "complex"carbohydrates) get easily converted into fat, and can also be the cause of high cholesterol. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose are all simple sugars and maltodextrin (common in many "weight gainer" supplements) has a very high glycemic index, which puts it in the same category as simple sugars. I'm not saying not to eat fruit, which contain many beneficial vitamins, just don't overdo it. Keep it to 2 or 3 pieces a day.

3)Eat more frequently: yes, you read that right! Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals a day (or 3 main meals and 2 -3 healthy snacks (protein shakes work well)). There are several reasons for this:

● With smaller servings, your stomach will shrink and you will get full faster.

● Digestion burns a surprising amount of calories; eat more often = burn more calories!

● When you eat a large meal, the body takes what it needs, then saves the excess as fat. Smaller meals prevent this, even if you eat the same amount overall.

4) Never eat before bed: plan your last meal to be at least 2 hours before bed. The body likes to store fat while you sleep if you eat too soon before bed.

5) Eat slowly: It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to signal the brain after it is full. If you eat too fast you will think you are still hungry and eat more. If you're still a bit hungry after eating, do something to take your mind off food for at least 20 minutes and you'll most likely forget about the eating.

6) Don't totally cut out fat: keep some fat in your "nondiet", as it helps get your body into a "fat burning mode". Keep it "low to moderate fat" not "no fat". try to stick to the "good" fats such as those from fish, flax oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, olive oil, or peanut oil.

7) This one won't be easy, so give yourself a break sometimes. Allow yourself one "treat" per week, or even a day where you can eat whatever you want, and really enjoy it!

8) Eat foods that take lots of energy to burn: These include most vegetables (especially the fibrous ones) and protein sources such as meat. Cut the visible fat off of red meat and remove the skin from chicken. Water-packed tuna is very good.

9) Take it easy on complex carbohydrates as any excess gets easily converted to fat. This includes rice, pasta, potatoes, and any "starchy foods". Eat these regularly, but not too much at one time. If you want to lose fat faster, cut down on these foods and replace with protein and fat.

10) The breakdown should be about: 40% protein, 30% complex carbohydrate, and 30% fat. This can be varied but keep the protein high and control your bodyfat by manipulating the carbohydrate content. Most of the fat in your diet will come from the protein sources (meat and dairy).

This article originally appeared on Davin Ramoutar's website.

BACK