19. Read food labels
Reading food labels is one of the most important tools to help you make
healthy choices when grocery shopping. Once you have the knowledge to
choose nutrient dense and healthy foods, you will be able to make the right
choices to fuel your body. When reading a food label, the most important
areas to look at are the calories, servings per container, sugar, fiber, carbs,
fat and sodium. Choose foods which are high in protein and fiber and low in
sugar, fat and sodium. The servings per container can be extremely
important because many products will try to mislead you by providing the
nutrient information for a very small serving size. This is very typical for
snack foods. A bag of potato chips may only show 120 calories on the
nutrient label but the actual serving size is only 7 chips! The overall calories
for the entire bag may contain over 1,000 calories. Make sure to read the
serving per container to know the truth about the overall nutrient levels.
Also, make sure to review the list of ingredients. The ones listed first are
generally used in larger amounts so if you see things like high fructose corn
syrup, sugar or lard, then its probably best to choose a healthier alternative.
20. Focus on 500 calories per day
To lose body fat safely and keep it off, focus on creating a 500 calorie deficit
per day (below your BMR). Over the course of a week, this equals out to
3,500 calories or 1 pound. The best way to hit this 500 number every day is
to create a 250 calorie deficit through your diet and another 250 calorie
deficit through cardio exercise. Remember, you want to fuel your body with
high nutrient foods and keep your metabolism "stoked" throughout the day.
The worst thing you can do is limit your food intake too severely which will
cause your body to go into starvation mode and hold onto your body fat
reserves.
21. Pack a healthy lunch
Try packing a healthy low calorie lunch a few times a week. Not only will
you save hundreds of calories but you will also save money by making your
own meals. If you find yourself having a tendency to snack while at work,
buy a box of protein bars and throw them in the freezer at work. Protein bars
make a great snack during the day and can come in very handy when a sweet
tooth episode kicks in. Prepare your meal the night before and place it in
some Tupperware for the next day. Add a chicken breast, some vegetable
sticks and a piece of fruit and you have a perfect low calorie meal. Another
great tip is to buy a few containers of non-fat cottage cheese and store them
in the refrigerator at your office.
THE END.
THE END.
0 comments:
Post a Comment