Eating Healthy- by Amy Smith

Hello friends! 

I have struggled for years to be in control of my eating, and I'm happy to say I'm finally there.  I can eat "just one" chip or brownie or slice of pizza. It took me about 5 months of constant vigilance, but I'm there!  I've been there for over a year now and I will never go back.  

I know you can take control too!  It is so liberating!  These are some things that helped me be successful: 

1. If you can’t see yourself eating the way you are for a year, it’s not the right “diet” for you. You’ll lose weight on a deprivation diet, but you’ll also gain it all back plus some when you start eating normal foods again. So, I give you tip #2.

 2. If there is something that you cannot live without eating each day, build it into your diet for one meal in your day. For instance, I can’t live without popcorn (with butter).  It just makes me happy.  So, I have a bag every day.  Of course that won’t keep me full until my next meal, so I give you tip #3.

 3. Balance carbs and protein- a simple rule of thumb is to make sure that whatever you are eating has close to half as many grams of protein as it has carbs. My bag of popcorn has 35 carbs and 5 grams of protein.  This is not going to keep me full.  If I add 2 oz of chicken breast (13 grams of protein) I now have a more balanced meal. I’ve satisfied my popcorn craving and I won’t be starving until my next meal.

4. Fat is your friend. Too much fat is bad, but you need fat! Lots of diet foods are low in fat or have no fat, which is good- but if you aren’t eating enough fat that will make you tired and slow and you’ll be more likely to grab a candy bar! I like to eat cottage cheese (my protein) inside a cantaloupe (my fruit) with 6-10 dark chocolate almonds (my fat). 

 

5. Eat often.  I eat every 2 ½ to 3 hours.  I am never hungry! 

6. Have a healthy snack in your car.  When I am on the go I have a hard time eating good and balanced meals.  So I always make sure I have a bag of beef jerky in my car. I also have a small bag of nuts and some pretzels.   That’ll keep me from stopping at a fast food place!

7. Track your food.  This will help you see what you eat. This can help you understand what food your body does and does not like!  Plus it can help you balance your meals.  Myfitnesspal.com andfatsecret.com are my favorite tools for tracking my food.

 8.Make a Plan. I am most successful in my eating when I make a meal plan the day before.  It’s easier to stick to healthy eating if you know what your next meal is going to be!!!  Myfitnesspal.comand fatsecret.com are great for this as well!

9. Drink Water. This will help keep you full and give you extra energy! 

10. Chew Gum.  It’ll make you think twice about putting that extra chip that fell out of your kid’s lunch into your mouth!

Wishing you happiness and success on your quest!

Much love,

Amy