1. Taking an “alcoholiday”
One of the best ways to lose weight is cutting out or cutting back on your alcohol intake. Chemically alcohol is the same as sugar. When you drink alcohol, it sets off the same insulin resistance as sugar, which leads to weight gain. A glass of Mojito or Chardonnay contains plenty of calories, and the drinks do not have any nutritional benefits.
Give alcohol beverages a break for about six weeks. See it as an “alcoholiday”. If you find it hard to give up, then consider a wine spritzer. You should also make sure that you drink water after each alcoholic beverage. You should also watch how much you drink when it comes to the mixers (OJ can easily double the calories in your vodka shot).
2. Choosing carbs with care
When you consume highly refined carbs- these are the processed white carbohydrates that form the basis of most meals and snacks – your blood sugar levels will spike and result in the production of insulin by the pancreas. This will then cause fat to accumulate and also protect against its depletion. You should replace the fast-release carbs with slow-burning and unrefined carbs such as brown basmati rice, jumbo oats, stone-ground wholemeal bread. These small changes are going to have a big impact.
3. Fighting the 50/50s
Humans have the cravings for energy-dense fat-sugar combination, but from studies and research that have been done, eating foods that have 50:50 of sugar and fat is going to interfere with the body’s self-regulation mechanisms. This means the body is not able to switch off the way it would have if you had consumed either of them alone. This ratio does not occur in nature, but it has become normal because of the treats people love: donuts, cheesecake, and fudge brownies. When you go shopping, make sure you have removed such foods from your list for some time.
4. Cruising the Med
The people of the Mediterranean know a thing or two about eating healthy. For six weeks, try filling your diet with foods rich in vegetables, nuts, whole-grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein, just like our Italian cousins do.
5. Sticking with soup
Soup is effective when it comes to suppressing hunger. This is because they contain a combination of liquids and solids that will bust hunger. You should consider having soup before you eat because it will help you in consuming fewer calories than eating a meal without drinking soup first. You can also replace your lunch sandwich with a veg-based soup – you will end up lowering calories and carbs consumed while increasing your vegetable intake.
6. Implementing the Rule of Three-Quarters
This is a simple rule that you will have an easier time sticking to it. It will help you eat the right way without having to count much. All you need to do is make vegetables 75% of your meal and the other 25% can be meat and carbs. When you do this, you will make meat and carbs play a support role while your vegetables become the star performers. There are many places online where you can find veggie meals that follow this rule. Go through the recipe and choose one that you think will work for you.
7. Going on portion patrol
One mistake many people make is thinking that the portion that they have been served is the right amount for them – even though it has been shown that the portion sizes in food outlets and restaurants have increased in the past two decades. People usually eat 92% of the food they serve themselves, so try serving a little less. It is common for most people to eat until the plate is done. You should be focusing on downsizing. Consider using a smaller plate.
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