7 Tips For Forming And Maintaining A Healthy Diet For Weight Loss

 

Whether you’ve piled on the pounds during lockdown or have been thinking of losing some weight for quite some time now, with summer approaching, there’s never been a better time to improve your diet. Being overweight can lead to serious health problems, and the current coronavirus pandemic has given many people the motivation to start looking after their bodies more.

Erasing a lifetime of bad habits is going to take some work, but the more prepared you are, the higher your chances of achieving your health and fitness goals. To help you out, here are 7 tips for forming and maintain a healthy diet for weight loss:

1. Eat More Fibre

One of the worst things about being on a diet is feeling hungry- and it’s actually never a good idea to let yourself get to the point where you’re starving, since this is when binge eating can happen. Foods that are rich in fibre will keep you full for longer, meaning you’re less likely to be tempted to reach for that tub of Ben & Jerry’s.

High fibre foods include wholewheat breakfast cereals, and whole grains like brown rice, pasta and bread, oats, barley and chia seeds. Most fruits and vegetables are also high in fibre, so fill your plate with broccoli, beans, pulses and sweetcorn to keep yourself full for longer.

2. Don’t Skip Breakfast

The saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is especially true for if you’re trying to lose weight. Eating a good, healthy breakfast kickstarts your metabolism and gives you the energy you need to start your morning.

You might think that you’re cutting back on calories by skipping breakfast, but most people who don’t eat breakfast will find themselves eating more later in the day to compensate. Choose a breakfast option that’s high in fibre and contains some kind of healthy fat, like avocado toast or porridge and peanut butter.

3. Try A Diet Plan

Diets work better for some people than they do for others, but if you don’t know the first thing about how to lose weight, then they can be a great place to start. If you’re looking for quick results, then you might want to consider some specialised diet products.

Diet shops like Shake That Weight offer a range of weight loss products, from shakes, to bars, pasta, rice and noodles, to help you lose weight fast. They have a range of tailored diet plans to help you with whatever results you’re looking for- and with a tool that will select the right plan for you, it couldn’t be easier.

4. Prepare Your Meals In Advance

We all know that feeling when the hunger hits and the last thing you’re craving is a healthy salad. But when you prepare your food in advance, the likelihood of you caving in and buying that burger is a lot lower.

Most of us hate waste, so preparing your meals before the day begins is a great way to fight those junk food urges, Some great, healthy lunch time meal preparation ideas include chicken and rice, sweet potato salad and hummus and veggies.

5. Consume Healthy Fats

While you should try to stay away from saturated fats, not all fats are the enemy. Like fibre, healthy fats can help to keep you full for longer and provide an energy boost which lasts throughout the day. Healthy fats also reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke and lower your blood pressure. Foods like nuts, nut butters, avocados, eggs and fish are great sources of healthy fats.

6. Drink Enough Water

Drinking lots of water provides your body with a whole range of benefits, from aiding digestion, to carrying nutrients around your cells and flushing bacteria from your bladder. Since water is also 100% calorie-free, it’s a much better option than a sugary drink, and can even suppress your appetite when consumed before mealtimes.

The NHS advises drinking between six to eight glasses of fluid a day in order to see the benefits. If you’re struggling to keep up with the guidelines, then it can help to buy a cup with measurements on that encourages you to drink at certain times throughout the day.

7. Use A Smaller Plate

It might sound strange, but using a smaller plate is actually a really simple and effective way to help cut back on your calories. There’s something incredibly satisfying about having a full plate, so if you’re planning on reducing your portion sizes, then making the switch to a smaller plate helps your brain to believe that you’re still eating the same amount.

Since your plate is smaller, you’ll likely feel guilty about pining your food onto it as if you’re at an all-you-can eat buffet. Simple, yet effective.