The easiest way to change your diet for weight loss is to be prepared with healthy foods, which can help you avoid binging on the bad foods. Meal planning makes the process easier and can help you save on your grocery bill.
Have The Right Tools
A food scale is useful in the initial stages of weight loss. Make sure you choose a digital scale that can measure in both grams and ounces. It is difficult to determine what the correct portion size looks like. After you have consistently portioned out your foods, you can usually stop measuring foods and will have a general idea of the correct portion just by the way the food looks.
Know Your Nutrient Intake
You can use online calculators to help you determine the appropriate amount of nutrients you should eat each day. Not only do you need to focus on calories, but you should also make sure you are not consuming too many carbs, fat, salt and sugar, while having adequate amounts of protein. Once you know the right balance of nutrients, you might decide to adjust your intake based on how your body responds to your diet and your exercise regimen.
Many people struggle with their carb intake and find it is better and more effective for them to focus on keeping their carbs under 100 grams per day. If you have days where you exercise more intensely, you may want to boost your carbohydrates for breakfast that morning to ensure you have enough energy for your workout.
Learn To Substitute
You can probably find thousands of recipes online or in cookbooks that sound good, but many of them will not be conducive to weight loss. The best way to work around this and keep your meals interesting is to know good substitutes for common foods. Learn to make your own salt-free seasoning mixes and make them in large batches if you will use them frequently.
Try replacing sour cream with Greek yogurt for a high-protein alternative with a similar tangy flavor. If the fat or lactose in milk is a problem, try different types of non-dairy milks until you find one you like. There are many varieties, such as almond, hemp and coconut. You may find one tastes better in your morning coffee, while another works better in a soup recipe.
Having a plan in place for your meals will prevent you from feeling extremely hungry at mealtimes, when you are more likely to be tempted by unhealthy foods. A little investment in time and money to have the knowledge and tools readily available will make your weight loss journey easier. Contact professionals, such as Colorado Nutrition for Health Fitness & Performance, to further simplify this process.
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