Easy Ways To TurboCharge Your Diet

Easy Ways To TurboCharge Your Diet

Out of sight, out of mind

If it isn’t around you can’t eat it.  For example, when you get the urge for ice cream, if there is none in your freezer and you’d need to get in your car and drive somewhere to buy it, you are less likely to do it.  Get rid of all the problem foods in your house and stock up on your favorite healthy snacks so if the urge arises, you have a plan.  If you have a family, you are not doing them any favors by keeping junk food around.

Eat before you go out to eat

Never go out for a meal hungry.  Either drink plenty of water beforehand to fill up your tank or eat some high nutrient, low-calorie, whole food to fill up.  You will need less willpower when the bread basket comes around and you will probably make better choices and eat less.

Make smart restaurant choices

The difference in calories between ordering an iceberg lettuce wedge with blue cheese dressing, a sirloin steak, mashed potatoes and creamed spinach or a mixed salad with balsamic vinaigrette, broiled salmon and a double serving of steamed broccoli is huge.  If fact in some cases, the calories may be more than double.

Stick with nutrient dense foods

A nutrient dense food is one that has the greatest amount of nutrients per calorie.  Fruits and vegetables are the top choice.  Both are moisture rich and contain beneficial fiber, both of which help to fill your stomach.  There is some evidence that a nutrient poor diet is recognized on a cellular level and results in additional hunger signals designed to hopefully supply the missing ingredients.  Processed foods are always very low in usable nutrients and will lead to overeating.  Keep your nutritional bases covered by eating a wide variety of nutrient dense foods on a daily basis.

Always have healthy snacks available

You never know when you might get a strong urge to eat something or when your regular meal time is disrupted.  Always keep a healthy snack choice on hand for these emergencies.  Fresh fruit, some nuts or perhaps a can of sardines, salmon or tuna are easy to transport, stay fresh for extended periods and require no refrigeration.

Get a good night’s sleep

Studies show that sleep time and quality will have an effect on weight loss or gain.  Not enough quality sleep disrupts optimal hormone function causing moodiness and lack of energy.  Quality sleep reduces stress, helps burn fat and results in greater releases of human growth hormone.

Don’t deprive yourself

This includes not eating enough or fighting urges for questionable food choices.  If you are eating plenty of nutrient dense foods, you will feel full and satisfied as your body becomes better nourished.  However, if you find yourself craving a forbidden food, the best way to deal with it is to schedule a meal to include it.  Consistency, not perfection, is the key to ideal body composition and optimal health.  As long as you are sticking with the program at least 90% of the time, you will continue to make very good progress.

Don’t beat yourself up

If you find you have slipped up, do not despair or beat yourself up.  Get yourself quickly back on the program.  Always focus on what you need to do now, in the present, not on the past.  You can’t change the past and you can only plan for the future.  All of your control remains in the present moment and the choices you make at any given time.  Keep your mind focused on your goal of a lean, healthy and fabulous looking body.