Healthy Living: Diet Secrets Of Succeeful Losers PT.1

Diet Secrets Of Successful Losers

People who shed pounds and stay slim and trim tend to adopt new, healthier eating behaviors, like the ones below:
1. Consider Calories.
The basic formula for losing weight has not changed. To shed pounds, consume fewer calories than burn.. 500cal fewer each day equals about a pound a week in loss (3500 cals. = 1 lbs) 
Keeping a food diary and controlling portions size will help...No more then what fits in your hand..and not heaping :)

2. Pay attention to portions. 
Controlling portion size is one of the secrets of people with a healthy body-mass index says "Consumer Reports"  I've noticed that with my wife.. She might take a week or more to eat a bag of chips, cookies or some other snack, in fact they might just get stale.. But with me I need to finish it right then and there...It's like a race to the finish :)

3. Skimp on fat. 
 There are good and bad fats but all fats are high in calories (9cals per gram) compared to carbs (4cals per gram) Try to keep fat at about a third of your daily intake.. daily intake 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% Fat. When buying food read the labels!!! no more then 30% of the calories should come from fat..

4. Fill up on fruits and veggies.
On a recent consumer report survey the more days their respondents ate five or more servings of fruit or veggies the lower their avg. BMI score. 49% of successful losers and the away thin said they ate that way at least 5 days a week.

5. Choose whole grain over refined.
In the same survey the respondents with lower body weights consistently opted for whole-wheat breads, cereals and other whole grains over refined grains like white bread, white rice...etc.,  Whole grain has more fiber to make you feel fuller...

6. Eat at home. 
Self explanatory :) and you'll save money... When I worked at a local hotel the chef told me one of the secrets to a great steak is...BUTTER  yes they cook everything in butter just watch the cooking shows on TV..cube after cube after cube of butter is thrown in the pan....

7. Set Realistic Goals.
This can be a deal breaker if you watch shows like the Biggest loser and see 5-10-15lb loses in a week...You have to remember they have a strict diet and they workout for hours and have someone yelling at them they can do it...But for us avg. people that only have "Us" to kick us and family, friend for support ( who always talks about that McDonalds hamburger they just had..or shake that was yummy) So realistic goals should be your goal...And 1-2lb a week lose is consider a safe level for most of us.. And remember  your first 2 weeks your losing water and waste weight so those weeks could be more..then normal so don't get discouraged if you lose 5-10 lbs for a couple weeks and then only 1-2 lbs..also 2 lbs lost is 7000 cals burned or reduction in intake..So keep it realistic :)
8. Put down the fork and pickup a pen.
Keep a Food Log/diary you wouldn't believe what slips past your lips :) and how many cals you actual eat..

9. Breakfast start the right.
According the the National Weight Control Registry, 78% of successful weight losers ate breakfast daily and don't forget to eat your protein..it helps make you feel fuller longer..

10. Eat soup, lose weight.
To cut calories without feeling starved, try having a bowl of soup before meals, this will help you feel fuller before the main course, Opt for a broth-based vegetable soup of about 150 cals and look for low sodium varieties

Ok enough for todays lesson :)  More tomorrow....