100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever
100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever
Provided By Prevention
We took our readers' 11 toughest diet problems and ran them by some of the top dietitians in the US: RDs who, in addition to their private careers, serve as media spokespersons or heads of specialty practice groups for the ADA.
Here's what they told us, in their own words. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you've heard before, but they're repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life -- starting today.
Smartest Diet Tips Ever
Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.
Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.
Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.
Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lbs in a year.
Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.
Use mustard instead of mayo.
Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lbs in a year.
Dilute juice with water.
I Can Only Handle One Diet Change Right Now -- What Should I Do?
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.
2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.
3. Resolve never to supersize your food portions -- unless you want to supersize your clothes.
4. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.
Are There Any Easy Tricks to Help Me Cut Calories?
7. Eating out? Halve it, and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage and dessert.
8. When dining out, make it automatic: Order one dessert to share.
9. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
10. See what you eat. Plate your food instead of eating out of the jar or bag.
11. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.
12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lbs in a year.
13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day.
14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.
15. Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.
16. Follow the Chinese saying: "Eat until you are eight-tenths full."
17. Use mustard instead of mayo.
18. Eat more soup. The noncreamy ones are filling but low-cal.
19. Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lbs in a year.
20. Take your lunch to work.
21. Sit when you eat.
22. Dilute juice with water.
23. Have mostly veggies for lunch.
24. Eat at home.
25. Limit alcohol to weekends.
Next: Tips on Eating More Vegetables, Low-Cal Dinners, Diet Mistakes
Recent Comments
Getwau 11:37:13 AM Oct 08 2008
This is excellent advice! I know what it's like to try and lose weight. I lost 47 pounds in 6 weeks using the Rapidthin diet at www.rapidthin.com. Good luck to all. Use what works for you.
Happyvixen 02:02:36 AM Jun 25 2008
Bosh Talk 11:02:00 PM Jun 24 2008
Yeah, it's always a good idea to take advice from an individual who had a alcohol and drug addiction!
VbalFreak13 10:55:12 PM Jun 24 2008
Eating foods/drinks with artificial sweetner, such as aspartame in diet sodas, can make you feel hungrier than you really are.
Gingermom915 10:12:12 PM Jun 24 2008
My favorite : Brush and floss immediately after your evening meal this way later in the night if you feel like snacking, you will remember, "I already brushed and flossed for the night!" GBH/ Dental Hygienist
monkdudejr76 10:11:01 PM Jun 24 2008
the nuts thing is wrong eat as much as you want it has alot of good fats in it that actually aid in fat loss which is what you should look for not weight loss. and the dilute juice with water is incorrect the guidlines are dont drink it before bed and make sure to have fiber after it because it stabalizes your incilin levels and make sure its 100% juice not from concentrate like simply orange or tropicana.
