Diet Tips 21 - 30

21) Read the menu before reservation time.

Platkin recommends keeping roughly 10 menus for nearby restaurants, and pick three or four healthy options from each menu. That way when you arrive, you won't browse and be drawn in by, say, the blooming onion.

 

22) Cut stress, sleep more. (Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Good one!)

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people aiming to lose 10 pounds found the greatest success when they reduced stress and slept 6 to 8 hours a night. And a separate study found that lack of sleep did in fact lead to weight gain.

 

23) Keep candy at a distance of 6 feet. (Oh the candy machine is way more than 6 feet away, but I just paid a visit to it this morning because I was starving and didn't bring anything to eat.)

A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that workers ate much more chocolate when it was visible and within reach, as opposed to just 6 feet away. What's more, the workers underestimated how much candy (aka sugar) they ate when it was right next to them, but they overestimated how much they ate when they had to walk to the candy bowl. "Removing yourself from the vicinity of temptation will help tremendously," says Bainbridge.

 

24) Cook your own food.

Packaged foods are designed for a long shelf life, so they're highly processed, offer little nutrition, and are chock full of empty calories, says Aronne. Try making your own meals using fresh ingredients—you'll soon find easy, fast, and healthy recipes that far surpass any packaged pre-made meals you can buy.

 

25) Liquid calories are trouble.  (I think they may be talking about my Starbucks habit here....)

Twenty minutes after eating, you'll feel full. But sweet drinks and alcohol are loaded with calories, and they'll sail right past your hunger sensors. (This is what happens when you stop drinking alcohol.) Aronne recommends his patients avoid caloric drinks altogether. If water is too blah, try squeezing lemon or lime into seltzer.


26) Vet your pantry.  (But...I can't just throw it out, thereby wasting food...)

"We're creatures of habit, so we gravitate to the same places over and over," says Platkin. That holds true for restaurants, coffee shops, and the cupboard in your kitchen. If you keep cookies, chips, or candy in a place you frequent—like your pantry—you'll need to clean it out and restock it with healthier options. "It's too tough to change our habits completely. You can go to the same places, just change what's available there."

 

27) Step away from the juicer. (I don't own one. Yay me!)

Breakfast shouldn't be skipped (and replaced with juice) when you're trying to lose weight. "If you juice a bunch of fruits for breakfast or make a banana smoothie, you're really consuming a lot of carbs and sugar," says Aronne. "You experience a fructose surge that feels good but leaves you very hungry." Stick to a breakfast with protein and some fat, like eggs or yogurt.

 

28) Look for support.  (This is probably one of the hardest things since I don't have any friends that live in this area that I could do this with.)

In one study, 95% of participants completed a 4-month weight loss program—and 66% maintained the weight loss—when they dieted with a buddy. "It's crucial to have a network of people to encourage you and to listen when you're struggling," says Brainbridge.

 

29) Fill up before you face the doughnuts.

Eating something healthy prior to facing temptation—the break room cookies and doughnuts, the party with all the fatty appetizers—will help you resist. "If you plan ahead so you don't face temptation while you're hungry, you'll have a much easier time staying disciplined," says Platkin.

 

30) Combine proteins and carbs for snacks.

Bainbridge recommends healthy carbohydrates and proteins, like cheese and an apple or yogurt and nuts. The carbohydrate quickly tamps down ghrelin, the hunger hormone (here are 4 ways hormones effect weight loss), and the protein keeps ghrelin down, so you'll feel full until your next meal.