Balancing your diet is an ongoing process, and here, to help you, are five more tips for balancing your diet slowly but steadily.
Water Really is a Lifesaver
When you begin balancing your diet, you may find that it takes a while for your appetite to adjust to healthy portions. One way to help this along is to drink plenty of liquids. Water is preferable, but unsweetened ice tea and some “lite” fruit-based drinks can be a part of your fluid intake as well. Often what feels like hunger is actually thirst, and as you begin consciously making a decision to drink more fluids, you’ll soon find that you are not nearly as hungry as you thought you were. It won’t be long until increased fluids will be a necessity in your life. I had a little trouble including more fluids at first, and I found that using a straw and sipping frequently helped me tremendously to get the amount of fluids my body needs. These fluids will have the added benefit of flushing waste from your body, so you’ll feel better and weigh less. Your body will adjust quickly and soon you won’t be running to the bathroom all the time, either.
Writing It Down Helps You Keep Track
Writing down the pertinent details in your new balanced diet can really help you. Not only does it help keep you honest, but it also helps you keep track, and at first just keeping track can seem like a lot to keep up with. I have a sheet my husband designed for me on the computer where I can easily keep track of the times I eat each meal and snacks; what I eat and how many carbs it contains; how many ounces of fluids I’ve drunk; my blood pressure and blood sugar readings throughout the day; and the amount and kind of exercise I get daily.
You can make up a sheet with the information you want to keep track of, or you can just get a special notebook to write down the things that are important to you each day; but whatever method you choose, writing down the important facts each day help you to remember to drink enough, motivate you to exercise and remind you whether it’s been too long or not long enough since you ate. Also, as you begin to balance your diet, you will sometimes have to think of eating as a scientific endeavor, and writing everything down will help show you whether or not you’ve had enough protein, for instance, or enough servings of fruit for the day.
Size Does Matter – Portion Sizes, That Is!
Portion sizes are important, because another spoonful of this and another half cup of that adds up in a hurry. “Eyeballing” the portion does not work. Measure your cups of cereal and your tablespoons of salad dressing and you’ll save, not only on calories but on groceries! I thought I was having the right amount of cereal, but since I’ve begun measuring, it is amazing how much longer the cereal lasts! At first, 1/2 a cup of mashed potatoes or ice cream, or 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter may not seem like enough, but as you drink enough water and eat enough vegetables, you’ll soon find that you are actually eating a lot more food than before. As your tastes change, you’ll enjoy it more, too. You’ll be more full and more satisfied than in the past when you had little variety in your diet and when a small amount of food was full of a lot of calories without much effect on your appetite.
You Can Still Eat Out
Eating out at a restaurant, a friend’s house or a party is not a relic from your past once you begin balancing your diet. You can still have special occasions without wrecking your health. If you are going to be eating at a restaurant, try to find out in advance which one. Most restaurants list their menu choices online and many also have nutritional information on each choice. Even if the restaurant doesn’t list the nutritional information, other web sites do, and if you google the menu choice by name, you can find the information easily. (Beware of the sodium, which is usually the worst part). If you can research in advance, you can choose your dinner at home and that makes it a lot easier when you arrive to order something healthy.
If you are eating at a party, get tiny amounts of each thing you are interested in; once you’ve tasted the food, you’ll know what is worth spending your allotments on. Find some vegetables, like carrot sticks, to nibble on once you’ve finished eating your meal, or sip on a drink of water or tea. Make the rounds, talk to people and don’t let the party be all about the food. If you are afraid there will be nothing at all that you can eat, you can slip an apple in your pocket or purse, and eat it at the party. Chances are no one will notice that you brought it from home, but in my experience those who do are impressed rather than derisive.
At a friend’s dinner, you don’t have to make a fuss and be singled out. Just take small portions and make them last. If you are offered more and know you shouldn’t take it, just say something like “Oh, that was so delicious I am perfectly satisfied! I don’t want to ruin it by having too much.” And if there is a food or dessert that you particularly want to have, try the three-bite trick. Take a bite and savor it thoroughly. Take another. Then one more. If you take your time it will feel decadent and you won’t want the rest. If possible, get up after the third bite and clear your place unobtrusively.
You Are What You Read
When you are trying to balance your diet, you need all the help you can get, and the help is out there in spades. Articles such as this one, for instance, can give you great tips for balancing your diet. This is a good time to get some new magazine subscriptions, ones that don’t have delicious, decadent foods full of fat, sugar and sodium as the cover picture. Peruse the magazine section at a bookstore, and you’ll find one that fits your personality and needs, whether it be “Prevention,” “Diabetes Forecast,” “Fitness,” “Women’s Health,” or one of many other choices that feature healthy recipes, news about health and diet and exercise tips. You’ll be amazed at how much filling your mind with healthy tips will make it easier to fill your stomach with healthy foods.
Begin to implement these tips and you are well on your way to balancing your diet, getting healthy and fit and enjoying food once again!