Ice cream on your diet? Yes!As long as you stop eating when you are no longer hungry, you can still eat all the "good stuff" like desserts, cookies, and foie gras.
Are you a person who skips meals in order to lose weight? Do you struggle during the day with fatigue, lack of energy, headaches, and irritability?
You’re not alone. The majority of my clients come to me to lose weight. Many believe that they can take a shortcut by skipping at least one meal a day. However, I do not recommend this as a way to lose weight - or live your life. In fact, you might actually be sending your body into a type of “starvation mode” that can prevent weight loss.
Our bodies are meant to be fueled and nourished. Skipping meals is especially harmful if you are trying to lose weight or an athlete training for competition.
Here are a few tips to being fueled throughout the day:
Eat every 2 ½ -3 hours no matter what - It does not have to be much, but enough to fuel yourself to the next meal. A good rule of thumb is to eat only until you are satisfied and no longer hungry. In other words, don’t feel you need to “finish your plate” - just wrap up what is left and save it for later. Try to eat a fruit with some sort of bread or crackers for snacks. This will help you “take the edge off” your hunger and allow you to move on to your next activity. You’ll find you have enough energy to sustain yourself through the entire day.
If you are away from the house for an extended amount of time, always bring some snacks with you so you don’t have to wait until you’re too hungry.
Always eat breakfast - Most people sleep eight hours at night, so most people should wake up hungry needing to eat and energize you for the start of the day. The first thing my four-year old tells me when she wakes up is “I’m hungry, I want breakfast now…” That’s always a good thing!
Ask yourself “Am I Hungry?” If the answer is yes, then you must eat. Do not deny yourself food.
What to eat? Anything you want, but stop before you are full. If you must eat till you are full then you have not been eating every 2 -3 hours.
Remember the “Full Factor scale” :
(carry this scale in your head everytime you go to eat, it is a great reminder !)
- Ravenous – too hungry to care what you eat. This is high risk for ‘overeating’
- Starving – You feel you must eat now
- Hungry – eating may be pleasurable but you can wait longer
- Pangs - you’re slightly hungry, you notice your first thoughts of food
- Satiated or satisfied – you’re content and comfortable, you’re neither hungry or full you can’t feel your stomach at all.
- Full – you can feel the food in your stomach
- Very full – your stomach feels stretched, and you feel sleepy and sluggish
- Discomfort – your stomach is too full, and you wish you hadn’t eaten so much
- Stuffed – your clothes feel very tight and you’re very uncomfortable
- Sick – you feel sick and are in pain
No Foods are Off limits - Incorporate foods you enjoy back into your meals including, cookies, dessert, ice cream, or Foie Gras - all the good stuff ! Do not deny foods you like - just don’t eat past the point of “Satisfied” outlined above.
Stay in touch with how you are feeling constantly - Getting to know your body is one of the best ways to lose weight. Continue to always ask yourself if you are hungry if yes again, eat. And forget the clock! If it is 11am and you are hungry, eat. Don’t wait until noon or some predetermined “lunch time.”
Eat like an athlete - Athletes need to fuel themselves constantly to maintain energy throughout an endurance event. They’ll eat and drink to sustain their calories and get through the activity.
Don't let your body's near-empty light come on!
Fuel yourself like a car - If the near-empty light is on, you’ve waited too long and you’re in danger of running out of gas. Make sure you fuel up before that point so your body’s engine runs smoothly throughout the day.
If you’ve tried dieting that never seems to work, try this approach. Not only will you never feel hungry, you’ll also get to eat the types of foods you enjoy most. Just remember to include fruits and vegetables into your diet as well as proteins (either from meat or other sources if you are vegetarian. You’ll have new-found energy, fewer headaches (if you’re prone to them) and you’ll naturally lose weight.
Most importantly, you will generally feel happier and healthier!
Other sources who espouse this philosophy of eating:
- Geneen Roth - http://www.geneenroth.com/
- Michelle May - http://amihungry.com/
Happy Un-dieting!
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