Additional Tips from Nutritionists to Lose Weight

Is there any magic way to reduce? The only sure way is to eat less, and to continue this practice all the time. It will not help if you go on a crash diet and then resume your normal eating habits. And while exercise will help control weight and burp up excess calories, probably the best exercise is to push yourself away from the table before you’ve overeaten.

Here are some additional tips from nutritionists to help you lose weight:

• Cut down on quantity. Eat just enough to satisfy your appetite – not as much as you can. Even low calorie foods will add weight if you eat enough of them.

• Eat less more often. Spread your food intake over several meals or snacks. Some hospitals have been experimenting with five meals a day, spreading the recommended total food intake over two full meals a day (brunch and dinner) and three snacks (continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, and before – bedtime). They find that the stomach handles small amounts of food better, that metabolism keeps working at a good pace all day, and that blood sugar levels (your energy reserve) do not drop between meals. Also, the process of digestion burns up calories.

• Avoid high-calorie foods. Cut out breads, rolls, jellies, jams, sauces, gravies, dressings, creams, and rich desserts. These are the villains that add calories and are not as rich in nutrients.

• Look for natural flavors. Cultivate an interest in the natural flavor of what you eat. Try vegetables without butter, coffee and tea without cream and sugar. You might want to substitute a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon on your vegetables or noncaloric sweeteners in your beverages, but chances are you will find the natural flavors new and interesting.

• Serve only just enough. Keep portions small and put serving dishes with leftovers out of sight. Taking seconds is often just a habit. Cultivate the idea of just one serving, and you will find it satisfies the appetite. Another idea: serve meals on smaller plates, the portion will look big if only in relationship to the size of the plate.
  

In order to maintain a healthy body and a youthful appearance while dieting, you must make sure you eat the necessary proteins and nutrients. This can be done by selecting foods from the basic food groups.

(Source: The New Complete MEDICAL and HEALTH Encyclopedia edited by Richard J. Wagman, M.D.)