Mental Monday

4 Keys To A Smart Nutrition Plan - D.I.E.T.

Think of the word "diet," and what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Visions of joyless eating, piles of pale lettuce, bored taste buds, more pale lettuce, meals that would starve a mouse, and mounds of food labeled "Off Limits" and locked away, never to be tasted again. Oh, and lettuce. In other words:

Don’t
Imagine
Eating
This

Boooring! Deprivation diets, fad diets and taboo-food diets send the wrong message. Your body is not an enemy that needs to be beaten and starved into submission. Building healthy habits can – and should – be fun! This is a positive thing you’re doing, making yourself healthy and happy at the same time.

Food was created for a reason. Each food has specific benefits and potential drawbacks. Even chocolate, in certain forms, is said to protect against high blood pressure and heart disease. On the other hand, if you eat nothing but grapefruits, you'll be loading up on certain vitamins, but missing out on a lot of other very important nutrients. The key is balance. Too much of anything can hurt. But not enough of everything can hurt even more.

How far do you think your car would go on watered down gas or without any oil? About 20 miles, probably. You’re no different. Deprive your body of what it needs and it’ll break down. The secret is to be conscious of the grades of "oil" and "gas" that you use. Some are more powerful than others, and help you run longer on less fuel.

To fuel your body for optimal performance while losing weight, SparkPeople strongly suggests 4 strategies to use when starting a weight loss program:

Control your food portions. Who really needs "Biggie" anything? Use our easy guide to portion control.

Make smart substitutions. Why not try mustard (11 calories) instead of mayonnaise (99 calories) on that deli sandwich? Who knows, you might even like it better. Compare calories in your favorite foods using this handy chart, and learn more ways to cut calories without deprivation.

Focus on "power foods." High protein, high fiber, healthy fats and good carbs give you the most punch for your lunch. Here are over 100 foods that fit the bill.

Watch your eating habits. Mindless munching, emotional binging, and twice-a-day trough feedings are sneaky habits that steal momentum and leave pounds. Overcome emotional eating with our 10-step action plan.

Written by Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
From SparkPeople.com



xo,


"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other." Douglas Everett

5 comments:

Meg @ I commit 2 Be Fit said...

Thanks for sharing this great article! I know in 2010 I have cut out ALL snacking...well mindless snacking...no more stuffing cheeto puffs in my mouth while watching So You think you Can dance for me this year! If I do feel the urge to snack I have been grabbing yogart & blueberries! I have also cut out all fast food (which is amazing for me - I used to eat it 2x/day!!!) So I am going 4 days strong without over eating or without eating junk! & Amazingly I am starting to feel better! :) Have a great day Michelle!

http://www.icommit2befit.blogspot.com

Twitter: ManicMommyMeg (Mommy acct)
Twitter: iCommit2beFit (Fitness acct)

Michelle said...

Great plan Meg! I'd also suggest finding non-food activities to replace the mindless snacking. I taught myself to knit (via www.knittinghelp.com) to help with my mindless munchies and it really helps! Have a great day!

Kassandra Alexis said...

This so great Michelle, thanks for sharing! Love your picture by the way with BL's Bob Harper in it So cool! I for sure love him and Jillian and can't wait for tomorrow's new season!

Joanna Sutter said...

I'm all about high protein, healthy fats, and good clean carbs! It does a body good!

Great article!

Gelareh @ Orange Truffle said...

I am new to your blog and love it..looking forward to reading more.

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