Whenever I'm in a health food store, salad bar line or sandwich shop I'm amazed at how people always manage to find the worst/unhealthy option in the store/restaurant. Just because you are eating in a "health food" environment doesn't mean everything there is healthy! Remember they are out to make money and profit.
You can eat what you want within reason. You just have to learn to balance and compromise.
You should never feel hungry. That means you did not eat enough. However, the body can't decipher between hunger and thirst. Always first try to drink a full cup of water when you feel hungry.
If you can't live without cheese/sauce/spread on your sandwich/food then don't deprive yourself.
Instead reduce the amount.
* Instead of putting spread on both sides of your sandwich~ opt for one side.
*Instead of getting four pieces of cheese ask for 2.
*Always, ask for dressing on the side so you can control the amount used.
*Don't stuff yourself -eat until your full.
*Look at food as fuel for the body instead of using it for comfort.
*Order grill instead of fried
*Opt for lean meat: anything ending in "loin" is lean ex. sirloin/pork loin 6oz
*Order steamed/dry instead of drowned in butter
*Eat 5-6 small meals a day
*Clear dressing vs white
*Marinara instead of butter/Alfredo sauce
*instead of eating both buns on your enormous sandwich at the restaurant omit half the bread.
*if there is something you can't live without then eat it. Look at the label and eat a PORTION.This will satisfy you and can save 100's of unwanted excess calories.
*instead of grande or a small
It is normal to feel hungry ever few hours. This means your metabolism is working and on track. If you are full and not hungry for hours you probably made a poor food choice.
Entitled: In this fast paced, stressful world we live in we feel we are "entitled" to a treat. Change your mind frame and stop thinking like this. You are entitled to a healthy lifestyle of vibrance and energy. You did not earn that doughnut, ice cream sundae, pizza pie, chips, etc. If occasionally you want it then fine. Just don't eat it daily.
Habit: we all have bad habits we think we cant' live without. Substitute a new food or exercise for the poor daily food choice. This will take time and commitment but once you break the habit it becomes easier.
Is it bad to splurge once in a while? ABSOLUTELY NOT. HOWEVER, we all have a meal/snack/drink that we over indulge in daily/weekly and it is sabotaging our diet.
TIP: I urge you to goggle your favorite restaurant/coffee shop. whatever your evil and look up the nutritional value. YOU WILL BE SHOCKED! Every chain restaurant/coffee shop has a nutrition guide. Not always easy to find but it's there. Legally, by law on website. Basically, you want to look at Calories, fat and Sodium.
Today at Moe's (burrito chain) I watched as I often do what people order. The girl in front of me ordered a burrito wrap and then topped it double meat (one serving is sufficient) with all the fixings rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, and queso cheese. She said,"a healthy portion of queso cheese (liguid cheese) please." the guy, like most employee's had a heavy hand and globed at least a 1/4 c of sauce on. He looks at her and she says, "a little more" OMG, so psychologically her saying "healthy amount" made her feel good.
She is not alone many folks order this and don't even realize how many calories they are consuming.
I googled the nutrition value as I ate my "naked bowl" no burrito. The wrap is almost 400 calories and had 8g of fat. That's before she even added meat, rice, beans,cheese etc. WOW, her burrito was easily over 1000 calories and the sodium content was off the chart. I'm sure she followed it with chips and a soda.
Typically, woman should eat between 1,500-2000 calories a day. Don't get hung up on that number it's an estimate. Never drop below 1,500 calories a day.
She didn't' even realize she ate her whole daily allowance in ONE meal!
Tostitos chips are deep fried. I have a weakness for chips so I opt to not get the burrito=compromise
You see it's a balancing act. Also, cheese is very fattening so I exclude it from my sandwich. This was hard at first but now I'm used to it. I'd rather waste my calories on a sweet treat later in the day=compromise;)
At the Salad Bar:
Any diet you follow vegetables are usually unlimited. There is very little calories in vegetables yet they fill you up with nutrients, fiber, vitamins and disease fighting phytonutrients.
I see this time and time again. People go up the the salad bar. Load there plate with minimal vegetables and fill the plate with cheese, croutons,fried foods, pre made mayo salads and then smother it with ranch. There salad looks like a mountain. You might as well had the cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's. It probably would of been less calories.
* Fill your plate with a mixture of bright colored veggies. Put on a few croutons, sprinkle cheese if you must and ONE ladle of clear dressing. Or another option is to dip your fork in dressing before each bite. This gives you the sensation of eating your favorite dressing.
Sabotaging Friends:
We all have friends and family members that sabotage us knowingly or not. People get nervous when you change. Change scares people.
IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN THEN PLAN TO FAIL
TIP: Google menu before you arrive. Have your mind set on what you are going to order.
*If you are going out to eat with a group of friends and feel you will cave into temptation. Eat a small healthy snack before you go. This way you arrive satisfied and can make a healthy choice. If you arrive famished chances are you will over indulge and make a poor food choice.
If this is not possible meet with friends in a different location or join them after dinner for coffee and share a dessert.
When you form healthy habits it will eventually be able to stay on track.
Cheat Meal:
Once a week schedule a cheat meal. This will keep you on track all week. Make sure it's ONE meal not the whole day.
Extra calories of any food will turn into fat on the body! Excess of ANY food the body can't utilize will be stored as fat!
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