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How to Follow Diet Do's and Don'ts. Review some of the basic do's and don'ts of a good
diet to find your best balance. You will need Breakfast Protein Fats Small portions Veggies
Light and water. Step 1. Never skip breakfast. Keep breakfast simple, quick, and healthy,
by sticking with high-fiber options. Don't load up on fast foods, snacks, or sugar. Keep
trail mix or dried fruit handy if you're pressed for time and have to eat on the run. Step
2. Realize that protein keeps you feeling full longer than carbs do. Protein also absorbs
water and creates a further sense of fullness, which help you avoid overeating. Step 3. Eat
fatty fish, nuts, and other healthy fats. Flaxseed oil activates leptin, an appetite-suppressing
hormone. Step 4. Get good rest. When you don't, your body produces more ghrelin, a hormone
that stirs hunger, rather than generating the leptin needed to feel full. Step 5. Remove
chips and treats from big bags, dividing them into smaller storage bags, to control the
impulse to finish everything at once. Researchers have found that people who ate from large
bowls consumed 56 percent more food than those with smaller bowls. Step 6. Eat vegetables
that are low in calories, and packed with fiber, to fill up. Steer clear of peas, corn,
acorn and butternut squash, or potatoes, which are too starchy. Make it a rule to avoid buffets
-- they make portion control and limiting yourself more difficult. Step 7. Eat in lighted
rooms, where you're more self-conscious of others watching. You'll also be able to see
your food, which makes you more aware of how much you're eating. Step 8. Remind yourself
that if you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Drink water on a regular basis, whether thirsty
or not, to avoid feeling empty. Step 9. Don't snack after dinner. When you eat late at night,
the body stores fat, and that digestion process interferes with sleep. Good luck with your
diet. Did you know There are about 3,500 calories -- or stored energy --per pound of fat.