The food that you put in your body is an essential part of your overall health. What most people don’t know, however, is that the type of food you eat can be just as important as the goal you have set for yourself. So, if your goal is to lose a couple pounds and even increase muscle definition before summer ends, then it’s important to consume food that is high in protein, nutrients, and vitamins. Here are two ways to practice eating healthier and shed pounds along the way:
Practicing Good Habits
Weight-loss efforts can sometimes be a long and boring process. Fortunately, most residents in Oregon find success by combining weight-loss efforts with spa visits to give them both a rewarding and relaxing experience. But what if this isn’t helpful to you? If these tactics aren’t for you, don’t panic, because there are other alternatives.
One tactic residents can practice is eating slowly – since this can limit the amount of calories consumed. If you’ve ever been told to “slow down” by your parents during mealtime, you should have listened. Slowing down during a meal is good advice for both practical and physiological reasons.
In short, the appetite you develop is regulated by a variety of different factors, that includes the presence of food already in your system. This means as you start to eat, your stomach begins to fill, and your body starts to send signals to your brain to reduce your appetite. The results? The more food you consume, the less hungry you start to feel. On the contrary, if you eat your food too fast, your body won’t be able to regulate your appetite. In other words, by the time your brain gets the message that you’re full, you would have already consumed more food than you should have.
Additionally, eating slower means you’ll consume fewer calories. Eating slow also means you’ll have more time to enjoy the food you’re eating as well. Being mindful is just one of three ways you can practice eating healthier, which is especially true for college students who are more than likely to practice poor dieting habits.
A second way to monitor your weight is by spacing out your meals or eating at designated times throughout the day. How can this be done? For starters, there are two main ways to incorporate fasting into your daily routine:
- Intermittent fasting involves not eating on certain days. While this is an effective way to lose weight and shed pounds, it isn’t easy to do.
- Time-restricted feeding is also another way individuals can practice eating habits that will help them lose weight. This involves the process of individuals limiting their eating process to a 4 to 8-hour period with a 16 to 20 hour fasting period. Although this isn’t a new concept, research shows that individuals who have longer fasting periods, could lose more weight than those who don’t.
This means that by limiting your eating time without focusing on calories, individuals will have a higher chance of losing weight.
Perhaps the biggest problem people face, however, is finding alternative foods that will help them lose weight. So if you’re having a hard time finding other options when it comes to food, trying taking a good first step by limiting your eating time to a few hours a day. If that doesn’t work, then seek outside help.
In other words, reach out to a nutritionist or counselors. Although counselors primarily help patients with their mental health problems, a patient’s physical health cannot be forgotten; both counselors and nutritionists can find ways to help you succeed in your weight-loss journey. At the very least, they could help keep you from snacking throughout the day, which almost always involves unhealthy choices.