SPRING INTO ACTION
FROM KEEPING A FOOD DIARY TO CHANGING YOUR SNACK STRATEGY, THESE FIVE SIMPLE STEPS WILL KICK-START YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS
When the weather warms up we naturally start to think about losing weight. With summer just around the corner, we want to make sure we can still fit into the shorts and dresses from the year before.
Fortunately for us, spring is a great time to begin (and stick to) a healthy eating plan. Here are five ways to make it your healthiest season yet.
1. START A HERB GARDEN
Everybody should have a herb garden. Herbs are easy to grow, require only a small amount of care and offer a cheap, sustainable way to add variety to your healthy meals.
Even a small selection grown on a windowsill can add flavour to food, allowing you to use less salt and other additives. Don’t discount their nutritional value, either.
Herbs such as oregano, basil, and parsley contains tons of antioxidants, helping protect against cell damage and inflammation.
2. STAY HYDRATED
An old-fashioned but extremely valuable piece of advice is to drink a glass of water before eating a meal. The sensations we feel for hunger and thirst are often indistinguishable and it can be easy to mistake one for the other.
Sometimes constant overeating is just an indicator that we are not drinking enough liquid overall, and our bodies are trying to compensate for it. Particularly now that the weather is warming up, ensure you are drinking enough water at the right times of the day to fuel your body.
3. EAT YOUR VEGETABLES IN THE MORNING
It’s time to ditch the syrup-covered pancakes or sugary cereals. By switching to a savoury breakfast there are many more options to eat well.
Think eggs, fruits, vegetables and wholegrains — fresh, unprocessed foods that are full of vital vitamins and minerals, not to mention fibre, which will help to keep you full and avoid any distracting hunger pangs midmorning.
Switching to a healthier breakfast also makes it far easier to meet your daily quota of vegetables. Even vegie leftovers from the night before are a fantastic option for a morning snack.
4. WAIT FIVE MINUTES
An unbelievably simple trick that can help you avoid snacking on junk food is to wait five minutes before eating it.
The temptation to consume sweets, chocolate and other unhealthy foods is often just a fleeting impulse that we have trained ourselves to act upon immediately.
By taking a step back and doing something else before eating it you are putting space between yourself and instant gratification. Often the craving will disappear on its own.
5. KEEP A FOOD DIARY
Recent studies suggest that women who record their eating, drinking and training habits are five to 10 per cent more likely to achieve weight loss.
Getting into the routine of tracking your consumption and even creating a visual food diary will train your brain to think differently about food.
It will provide you with the opportunity to break out of the cycle of bad habits and to build new ones based on sound nutritional principles.