If you have type of “trigger foods” (foods that you can’t resist the urge to eat and keep in moderation), throw them out. You’re naturally going to eat what’s available in your fridge and pantry, so the better food choices there are, the less you’ll get tempted to pig out.
Drink homemade smoothies almost every day. Smoothies are a great way of sneaking more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Exercise 4-6 times a week.
Make lunches on Sundays. Meal prep allows you to make healthier options, like salads and saves you money in the long run- instead of running out to grab some unhealthy food option, you’ll have a healthy lunch all ready.
Switch from bad carbs to good carbs. Good carbs include whole grains, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables.
Drink more water. There will be times that your body will be dehydrated and you will mistake it for being hungry. Sometimes you aren’t actually hungry, you’re just thirsty.
Eat breakfast every day. When you skip breakfast, scientific studies have proven that you are more likely to overeat during the day. So eat some breakfast! A smoothie would be a fantastic breakfast idea.
Cut your larger meals in half. Eat small meals during the day. Not eating for a long period of time isn’t a great thing for your metabolism. According to Dr. Oz, if you are deprived of food for longer than 12 hours, your metabolic rate can lower by 40% (how quickly your body burns off calories)… so in the long run, you may gain weight instead.
Swap unhealthy food choices for healthier ones. For example, switch to better salad dressings like balsamic vinegar.
Eat more protein. If you are trying to tone up and lose weight, definitely aim to eat more lean protein like chicken. Featured photo credit: Miriam/Blueberry doughboy Smoothie via flic.kr