10 Best Diet Tips

By: Jamie Fusaro

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Knowing the 10 best diet tips can help you to lead a healthier lifestyle. The United States is filled with people struggling with their weight and looking for answers. Realizing these diet tips are the first step toward the goal of becoming fit.

  1. Five a day. Eating five small meals a day will speed up your metabolism. That is an important fact to remember when it comes to the ten best diet tips. If your body is constantly forced to use the fuel you are feeding it, it will speed up in an effort to keep up with you.
  2. Smaller portions. The above does not mean you should eat five steak dinners a day. Your portions should be realistic in size. The super-size mentality should be a thing of a past.
  3. Ignore your parents. Stop clearing your plate. You should be eating until you are full, not until your plate is clean. Walking away feeling satisfied is more important than making sure your plate is licked clean. The chef will understand.
  4. Steam it. When dining out, ask for your vegetables to be steamed rather than sauteed. You are adding more calories and fat than you realize when you eat a side dish of vegetables cooked in this manner. Steamed vegetables are usually fat free and full of flavor.
  5. Get a doggy bag. Get a doggy bag, even if you don't have a dog. And do it as you order, rather than when you are finished. In a typical restaurant, portions are large and you would be satisfied with much less. One of the ten best diet tips is to wrap half of your portion and eat what's remaining as your meal.
  6. Clear out the carbs. Carbohydrates turn into sugar which turns into fat. This is especially true for white carbs. Look for complex carbs to fuel your body for longer periods of time.
  7. Have a drink. You don't pick up a soda either. Grab a bottle of water more often and you will notice your appetite is naturally suppressed. Many times we think we are hungry and we are actually just thirsty, so drink up!
  8. Go natural. Begin to eat clean. This means you should stay away from processed foods. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, should you really be eating it?
  9. Cook smart. Look into recipe books for healthy alternatives to some of your favorites that aren't so good for you. There are many authors out there that focus on eating well while still enjoying what you are dining on.
  10. Slow down. This is not a race. Instead of rushing through breakfast or dinner, make a point to savor your meal. This will allow your mind and stomach to catch up to one another. Your stomach gets full way before your brain realizes it and this is why people end up overeating. Put down your fork and tell a story or drink some water in order to slow yourself down.

Resources:

Healthy Eating Diet

10 Unconventional Diet Tips

Posted on: Apr. 24, 2010