by Candace Rhodes
Most of us have been on a diet of some sort and found that we get temporary results only to gain all the weight back. It’s a frustrating cycle of disappointment when the diet didn’t help us to keep off the weight and we find ourselves searching for another ‘quick-fix’ to get rid of the extra pounds.
In this article I propose four simple eating rules to help you finally be slim forever without having to start another diet again.
Rule #1 – Eat 3 Satisfying Meals and Abstain From Snacking
It’s a complete myth that eating smaller meals more frequently helps to boost our metabolism and burn more calories. It is true that it takes does energy to break down and digest our foods but if you are eating 2000 calories a day you don’t burn more calories if you’re eating it as smaller meals versus all at once.
Eating more often can mean eating extra calories that help us maintain our weight and even gain weight versus lose weight. These smaller meals and snacking in between means that we never get to eat till we’re satisfied. We’re left with feeling a little bit hungry and fill the hunger gap through snacking.
Instead of eating smaller meals and snacking eat a satisfying full meal with adequate amounts of protein, vegetables, and healthy carbs.
You know that the meal is the right portion when it keeps you satisfied for 3-4 hours at a time. The hours in between meals improves your body’s ability to burn fat because it’s using stored energy to run your metabolism as oppose to pulling energy from the food it’s digesting.
Tip #1– Build your meals by prioritizing with a source of lean protein then add vegetables and healthy carbs. Make a note if that meal size keeps you satisfied for at least 3 hours. If it doesn’t next time add another ½ serving of protein or vegetables.
Rule #2 – Become Friends with Your Hunger
Most of the time we eat for reasons other than being hungry – we eat for comfort, when we’re stressed, when we’re celebrating, when we’re bored, and for a host of other reasons.
We may experience false hunger signals triggered by the smell of food, food advertisements, or even by a certain emotion. Real hunger takes time to build up before it becomes a steady discomfort.
Your body alerts you when you’re hungry and when you’re full but we often aren’t paying attention to it. Instead we override the signals, eat when we’re not hungry and end up eating more calories than we need leading to excess pounds.
To determine if you’re actually hungry or its false hunger wait 30 to 60 minutes before you eat your meals.
When you want to lose weight being hungry signals that your body is ready to receive energy. If you never experience hunger because you’re eating around the clock then you are overeating too many calories.
Tip #2– Stay hungry for 30 to 60 minutes to identify true hunger before eating.
Rule #3 – Stop Eating At 80% Full
Aside from eating when we’re not hungry we’re often are multitasking while eating at the same time causing us to eat more calories than we need. When we take less than 20 minutes to eat we can override our body’s signals telling us that we are full.
Our stomach contains different receptors whose job is to send signals back to our brain indicating fullness and satiety. It typically takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that you’re full.
If you’re finishing your meal in 5 minutes you wouldn’t have given your body time to relay that information. If you’re eating while distracted you’ll also overlook those signals as well.
Make it your goal to stop eating when you’re satisfied or about 80% full and chew your food slowly. Eating slowly helps you to bring awareness to the feelings and sensations that occur when you’re approaching satisfaction.
Tip #3– Take 15 to 20 minutes to eat your meals and be aware of your satiety signals. Stop eating when you’re 80% full.
Rule #4 – Focus On Whole Nutrient Dense Foods
What causes people to drop diets like hot potatoes is hunger.
We feel that in order to lose weight we must eat less and eating less means cutting out foods and feeling deprived and being hungry all the time. No one wonder people don’t stay on diets for very long!
What happens if I told you that you can lose weight while eating more?
You’ll find that when you switch your calorie intake from eating processed, hyperpalatable foods to whole nutrient dense foods you’ll feel automatically feel fuller on fewer calories.
Processed foods contain loads of sugar, salt, and fat which are delicious and addictive but contain minimal nutritional value. They are already ‘broken’ down when they reach your grocery store so that when you eat it your body uses less energy to digest the food. As a result you experience hunger much quicker even if you’re eating more calories.
Eating mostly whole nutrient dense foods means eating foods that look like food, that are not in boxes, and don’t come with an expiration date. To do this, focus your grocery shopping to the perimeter of the store.
Instead of buying granola bars opt for loose trail mix. Swap out chicken patties for chicken breasts. Use fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and basil instead of buying jar sauce.
Tip #4– Get 80 to 90% of your daily calories from whole, unprocessed foods.
Following these 4 rules will help you not only lose weight but to keep the weight off without starting another diet.
Now let’s hear from you. Share your opinion below:
Which of these rules are you going to apply first and why?
(Candace Rhodes helps women lose weight and achieve amazing toned bodies so they can feel healthy and confident on the beach and in their businesses. She offers 7-Day Rapid Results course which teaches you everything you need to get started for a weightlifting lifestyle to be toned and strong. You can find out more about Candace at Rhodes To Strength.)
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