Eating Habits That Help Fat Loss

Excess fat has physical, mental and medical implications. Doctors warn that having too much fat in the body may increase risks of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and cancer, among others. But losing weight is like trying to slay the fat monster—it can be daunting but with some ingenuity, it can be done. Sometimes, it’s the little things that count. Little changes to the way you eat can promote fat loss in a big way.

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

Not all carbohydrates are bad. Certain carbohydrates may actually help you lose fat. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains offer tons of fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants and they help you stay full longer. That reduces the need to snack unnecessarily. Consider beans and plant-based carbs such as potatoes and unripe bananas—they pack lots of nutrients, fiber and resistant starch. Both fiber and resistant starch help to control blood sugar and help you lose weight.

Load Up on Vegetables and Fruits

You’ve heard time and again—eat more vegetables and fruits. That advice is time-tested and very good for your waistline as well. Turns out vegetables and fruits boost high levels of nutrients, fiber and high water content. Be sure to include lots of vegetables and fruits in your main meals and snack on them instead of high-fat, high-calorie snacks.

Eat Slowly

There’s an art to eating and it’s called eating slowly. Various studies have shown that eating slowly helps to promote weight loss. It takes your brain 20 minutes to register that you’re full. If you eat in a hurry, you may eat more than you should. Also, eating slowly helps you to enjoy your food and gives you the feeling that you’ve eaten more than in actuality. If you’re not in the habit of eating slowly, start now.

Drink Up

Drinking low-calorie liquids such as water, tea (minus sugar and milk) and low-fat soups can fill you up without packing calories. Including these liquids with your meals will help to reduce overall calorie intake for a healthier, slimmer you.

Eyeball Your Food

Turns out your eyes can double up as a weight loss tool. Eyeball whenever you’re eating. Nutritionists suggest two methods—plate method or using your hands. In the plate method, visually divide your plate (choose a small plate) into quarters. Fill ½ the plate with vegetables, ¼ with complex carbs and ¼ with lean meats. Use your hands to judge portion sizes. For instance, a serving of protein should fit nicely on the palm of your hands (minus thumb and fingers), one serving of carbs is about the size of the fist and one serving of fat is about the tip of the thumb.

These simple, yet doable tricks will promote fat loss. If you’ve any questions about weight control, contact us.