1. Map Out Your
Food Habits
Dedicate
4-8 days where you document your food habits, not based on calories but rather
how you feel after you’ve eaten.
Write
down (1) date and time, (2) what you ate and drink, (3) how hungry you were
before the meal and how full you were after, and (4) your emotions associated
with that meal:
·
Date
and time – Monday 10/8 7:30 AM
·
Food
and drink – A bowl of milk and oatmeal, one cup of coffee
·
Hunger/fullness
– Super hungry! Very full after eating
·
Emotions
– Energized and satisfied
The
goal of this task is to get an overview and to identify patterns.
·
If you
eat a small breakfast, do you find it harder to concentrate at work?
·
If you
skip lunch, do you snack more in the evening?
·
Do you
eat very differently over the weekend compared to during weekdays?
2. Cut The Junk
Yes,
those donuts look delicious.
But
they are not serving you or bringing you any closer to your goal.
Period.
Picture
yourself one year from now:
·
Where
do you want to be?
·
What do
you want to look like?
·
More
importantly; how do you want to feel?
Write
down the answer to these questions and let them remind you of in which
direction you want to go.
You
can either remain in the exact same position that you are now, or you can cut
the junk (cookies, ice cream, pizza) and be able to:
·
Eat
without feeling guilty
·
Become
more energized and rested out
·
Become
more happy and confident
·
Look
yourself in the mirror and feel proud
Becoming
healthier doesn’t mean that you need to starve yourself. In fact, you can still
eat a lot of food; if you choose the right sources:
·
Veggies
– Broccoli, Spinach, Paprika, Cabbage, Onions
·
Protein
– Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Fish, Soybeans
·
Carbs –
Root vegetables, Legumes, Bulgur, Quinoa, Fruit/Berries
·
Fat –
Fat fish, Almonds, Seeds, Olive Oil, Avocado
3. Avoid Drinking
Your Calories
Many
liquids tend to be high in sugar and – even if we don’t like to admit it – way
too easy to finish off (another round of shots, anyone?).
Compare
this with slowly enjoying a proper meal full of greens, protein, and essential
fatty acids.
The
second option will keep you full longer 10/10 times.
Replacing
your normal soda, juice, and alcohol with water or light-soda is a key to
achieving weight loss.
4. Eat Enough
Protein
Protein
is one of the most important macronutrients when you are trying to lose weight.
Not
only does it help you to lose more fat, but it also reduces your hunger and
gives you a better appetite regulation.
Some
sources rich in protein are:
·
Fish:
tuna, mackerel, salmon, cod
·
Meat:
Beef, pork
·
Chicken
·
Eggs
·
Soybeans
·
Lenses
·
Almonds
·
Seeds
·
Cheese
5. Make Your
Plate More Green
Vegetables
are one of the best tools for weight loss.
They
are nutrient dense, rich in fibers, and saturates well – while containing very
low energy.
Feel
free to allow them to take up half of your food plate.
Fresh
or frozen.
Cook
them, wok them, or let them roast in the oven.
Get
creative and add more color to your diet.
By
eating more vegetables, you’re doing both yourself and the environment a big
favor.
6. Eat Regularly
While
meal frequency seems to be of less importance, eating around the same hours
every day can make a significant difference.
By
being consequent, your mind and body will adjust to when it’s time to eat or
not to eat.
In
this way, you will minimize the risk of becoming acute hungry and falling for
temptations.
Use
your documentation from point 1 – at the beginning of the article – to identify
if you already have regular eating habits.
If
not, tweak your food schedule so that it’s as consistent as possible.
Don’t
let that chocolate craving catch you off-guard!
7. Don’t Eat In
Front Of The TV
Love
to bring your dinner into the living room to watch your favorite TV-show?
Many
of us do.
However,
this also leads to that you are less likely to pay attention to what and how
much you eat.
Avoid
mindless overeating by enjoying your food away from screens.
8. Eat Proper
Food
It’s
easy to get overwhelmed by all the different diet advice that exists today,
both on the internet and from people around us.
·
Should
you eat high-fat?
·
Should
you eat low-carb?
·
Should
you avoid eating in the evening?
In
the end, what’s most important is the quality of the food that you eat.
Choose
fresh and nutrient dense ingredients that haven’t been processed:
100g
of apples = 52 calories 100g of crisps = ~530 calories
This
alone makes a massive difference when you try to lose weight.
Even
better, it allows you to eat MORE.
Summary
Losing
weight doesn’t require you to obsessively count calories.
Neither
does it require your diet to be extremely strict.
Start
by doing one or two small yet meaningful adjustments:
·
Map out
your food habits
·
Cut the
junk
·
Avoid
drinking your calories
·
Eat
enough protein
·
Make
your plate more green
·
Eat
regularly
·
Don’t
eat in front of the TV
·
Eat
proper food
When
you can handle those, do a third.
If
you can continue to add positive changes over time, you will reach your goal
weight in a more healthy and enjoyable way.


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