Diet Dismay
Fallen off your diet? Here’s how to recover.
You know the scenario: You’ve been diligent with your diet and exercise efforts, you’ve lost a few pounds and you’re starting to look and feel really good.
Then something happens.
A stressful call from your ex, a Christmas party or a scolding from your new boss at work and, whammo! Your weight loss efforts fly out the window. While turning to a tub of ice cream or pizza and fries may soothe the situation temporarily, you’ll feel pangs of diet guilt soon after.
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Don’t fret if you’ve fallen off your diet recently, there are several tricks of the weight loss trade that can put you back on track to losing weight.
Avoid White–Bread, Pasta and Potatoes
Stick to low glycemic index carbohydrates. Carbohydrates such as vegetables, most fruits and whole grains have a lower rating on the glycemic index chart. In short, the lower the food’s rating on the glycemic index, the more stable your blood sugar remains and the less insulin secreted. When you eat foods high on the glycemic index, such as white bread, potatoes and pasta, the pancreas tends to over-secrete insulin to deal with the amount of glucose (sugar) produced by these foods. Excess secretion of insulin = excess fat.
Incorporating lean proteins and essential fats into every meal is another foolproof method to losing weight and keeping it off. To view hormonally balanced meal plans that contain the right amount of low-glycemic carbohydrates, lean proteins and essential fats, please visit the Truestar Weight Loss section and create a nutritional profile just for you!
Drink Water
Drinking six to eight glasses of water daily is essential in the weight loss process. Not only will you start shedding excess pounds, you will also feel fuller throughout the day. In fact, even mild dehydration will slow metabolism by as much as 3%. Do not drink all of your daily water at once; try to spread it out over the course of a day. In addition, do not wait until you are thirsty. Once you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Dehydrated bodies often struggle with weight loss. If you have had a recent “food binge”, try squeezing fresh lemon into your water as a natural detoxifier and astringent. Green tea and herbal teas are also effective for weight loss.
Close the Kitchen
Stop eating at 6 pm for a minimum of one to two weeks. As the sun goes down, so does metabolic function. It is best to eat a light dinner and make lunch your biggest meal of the day. Those of us who work and are home later can try packing a healthy dinner to eat at the office. Be sure to include protein such as tuna, salmon, chicken or egg salad.
Eat Breakfast
Research clearly shows that “breakfast skippers” tend to gain more weight. In fact, for permanent weight loss, it is best to eat three meals and two snacks daily to keep blood sugar levels and insulin regulated.
Sweat it Out
It’s simple—the more you exercise the more calories you burn. The key is to find an exercise program that keeps your attention and interest. Whether it is biking, yoga, swimming, home gym workouts or walking the dog…you need to get yourself moving a minimum of three times per week. Visit the Truestar Exercise section to create the perfect program to get you going.
Get Hooked on Your Health
There is nothing more powerful than reclaiming control of your own health. As with any new adventure, getting healthy will take some initial focus and dedication on your part. The good news is once you feel the difference in your energy levels and start noticing the changes in your body you will not want to stop! Start being an active and informed participant by learning more about the value of nutrition, exercise programs, vitamins and stress management techniques. For more information, including healthy shopping lists and personalized meal and exercise plans for weight loss, please visit the Truestar Weight Loss section.
Be Kind to Yourself
You can’t be perfect all the time. There are going to be sad days, happy days or just boring days where you skip your workout, mindlessly munch a bag of chips in front of the TV or have one too many glasses of wine. Don’t beat yourself up. Instead of letting negative self chatter bounce back and forth in your head, accept your cheat and move on.
