We could all stand to lose a few pounds – some of us more than others. If you hate the thought of hardcore dieting, just focus on avoiding these bad eating habits.
Starving Yourself
People believe if they don’t eat, they will lose weight. Unfortunately, this is a false assumption. When your calorie intake is too low, your body kicks into starvation mode. It thinks you are in a famine and begins storing fat. It will also slow your metabolism down in the hopes of preserving as much fat to live on as possible.
It is important to eat regular meals in order to keep your metabolism running constantly. Eating several small meals throughout the day is advised. For a structured nutrition plan, check out MenScience Boot Camp.
Eating Too Much
In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Eating less is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. Pay attention to portion sizes and keep them small enough to fill you up without overindulging. Limit your lean meat and fish servings to the size of a deck of playing cards. Try to fill up on salad and vegetables and take small portions of side dishes such as potatoes, rice, or pasta.
Treating yourself to dessert on occasion is fine, as long as you eat a tiny portion. The key to weight loss is to be cognizant of every bite of food you consume and to eat small portions. A food diary can help you figure out how much you’re eating each day. For tips on keeping one, read this.
Eating Out Too Much
Eating out in restaurants is one of the biggest hindrances to losing weight. Portion sizes in restaurants are astronomical and the food is loaded with high amounts of calories, saturated fat, sodium, and bad carbohydrates. If you want to take charge of your weight loss, you need to take charge of preparing your own food at home. If you do find yourself eating out on occasion, opt for the lean cut of meat or fish, choose steamed vegetables over french fries, and drink water instead of soda or alcohol.
Skipping Breakfast
Always start your day with eating breakfast to jump start your metabolism. Eat a piece of fruit, a bowl of oatmeal, a cup of non-fat yogurt with fresh fruit on top, or a scrambled egg with whole wheat toast. For more breakfast ideas, click here.
Instead of counting calories, avoid these bad habits and watch the weight disappear.