There are two significant areas to consider when trying to eat healthier and lose weight:
- Food Quality: Eating more fruits and vegetables, lean meats like chicken and turkey, less processed starches, and more grains like potatoes and quinoa. You’ll also want to eat foods with little added sugars and fats, like oils and sauces.
- Food Quantity: Portion sizes and the caloric density of food affect the total caloric intake for a meal.
The three tips I will share today will help you get more quality food in each meal, help decrease the amount of food you eat, and help you become aware of fullness cues.
Glass of Water
Having a glass of water before each meal is an excellent habit to get into. Hydration is essential for overall health and energy but also helps curve your appetite.
As adults, we don’t get fullness cues from the number of calories in each meal but by how much weight is in our stomach. So starting your meal with water will increase the weight in your stomach as a no-calorie filler.
More Vegetables
Having vegetables at each meal is a great way to get vital nutrients into your diet to keep you healthy and energetic, but like water, vegetables will fill your stomach and are a lower-calorie-dense food with more fiber. This lends well for you to eat a lot of them and not overeat calories because they add extra weight to the stomach, increasing the feeling of fullness.
With each meal, a good goal is to have a fist-sized serving of vegetables like broccoli, green beans, carrots, spinach, etc. Of course, having fresh vegetables around is tremendous, but using frozen vegetables that can quickly be heated in the microwave is just as good if it means you are eating your veggies.
Less Distracted
How many of us are guilty of eating while being distracted? Do you eat while watching TV or at the table, one hand scrolling on your phone and the other wielding the fork?
Eating while distracted keeps us from picking up on fullness cues, which leads to overeating. Trying to have more meals at the dinner table and without devices is an excellent habit to start, even if it is only a few times a week.
Which tip are you committed to trying this week?
Your Fitness Sherpa,
Josh
