What are your secrets in maintaining a reasonable diet?

[brettb]

Everybody has little knicks they pick up along the way on how to maintain a reasonable diet like substituting non-healthy ingredients for healthier alternatives. I have just recently learn that if you put cool whip in the freezer and let it sit, it taste really good if your having a sweet tooth. Its not healthy in general but will not kill a diet your on with minimal sugar and low carbs. A hell of a lot better than getting a candy bar or ice cream.

[kholland65]

like one of the anon people said. Self control. You dont' have to be a nutritionist to have a relatively healthy diet, you just have to have the willpower to avoid the bad stuff (sweets, burgers, fries, chips, pizza, etc.) and pick the healthy stuff instead like a salad.

In my opinion though, the most common problem with someones diet in terms of why they gain weight or can't lose it, is over eating. The average adult human (assuming your not some sort of athlete who is extremely active all the time) only requires 2000-3000 calories a day and even 3000 is pushing it. Most people can get by with about 2000. If you are trying to lose weight, 1200-2000 would probably be ideal which by the way doesn't take much to reach. Just to give you and example. One McDonald's quarter ponder value meal with fries and a soda is about 1200 calories if I remember correctly. That's about half in not more or your entire daily caloric intake. Obviously healthier foods allow you to eat a bit more without going outside your calorie range.

Also eat multiple small meals, not a few large ones. eating 5-6 small meals a day keeps your metabolism running where binge eating causing spikes in blood sugar and then a drop in metabolism which causing you to gain weight. Each meal should just about fit in the palm of your hand. Obviously breakfast, lunch and dinner are a bit larger, maybe a sandwich with with a small salad on the side, and the in between meals are smaller, like maybe a small bag of peanuts, some string cheese, or a yogurt.

[animalwithin]

Mediterranean diet, that sums it up. The food I eat is mostly a wide variety of vegetables cooked in different ways. Our food is very low in fats and meats, lots of pure, raw super foods like olives and most of the oil in our food is cold pressed olive oil. Different spices in our foods, and most sugar comes from fruit. Minimal dairy products but lots of yogurt, just plain greek yogurt is the best. At least 12 cups of water a day, absolutely no soda at all, period, unless its the Superbowl lol. 6 days of training/gym also helps me stay fit haha.

[ZenQueen]

growing my own food forces me to eat fresh fruits and veggies because I don't want to waste them... like for dinner last night everyone wanted Taco Bell, but I remembered that if I didn't harvest my salads greens now they would be too big to eat... so I had a giant salad... rather of had Taco Bell though.lol but I felt feel good that I had the salad instead... also make trips to the farmer's market into something like going to disneyland! go with your friends or family get kettle corn, look at art if they have it, listen to music... and buy lots of fruit and veg... ask the farmers if they know any good recipies! only stock your cabinets with healthy food, don't buy unhealthy food and you won't eat it, simple as that... eat simple too... not too many seasonings and toppings, learn to enjoy the food for what it is...learn to enjoy a bowl of some simple steamed rice! Cut down on meat, diary and processed grains. Eat raw, fresh and organic whenever you can. Drink lots of water too, sometimes you are just thristy when you think you're hungry.

[ambertaylor]

I have to be strict with my diet routine as part of work so I'll use chocolate as a little treat on Saturdays and not eat it during the week. If I have sugar cravings through out the week like I normally do, I'll eat a few slices of mango or a fruit bar to satisfy the craving and that seems to work quite well for me. I just choose the healthier option, have brown granary bread instead of white, only eat half a packet of crisps at a time, eat little but often, use low fat dairy products ect I tend to be disciplined most of the time and then when I feel like I need a break, I'll take one and treat myself to a take out once every six weeks or something. For me, I wouldn't be motivated to diet without the thought of the rewards which is a healthier body but also being able to indulge every now and then, makes you appreciate the little things in life! I'm also a life long vegetarian too so I don't have to worry about meats or fish fats and many high in fat items have animal products in them so that helps me out too.

[brettb]

Whats your job?

[ambertaylor]

..Magician's Assistant haha

[brettb]

That is definitely something you don't hear everyday...thats awesome though! IS it just for one magician or multiple?

[ambertaylor]

Yeah.. it's a little different! I work for three magicians! One does street magic and the other two do stage magic.

[Anonymous]

Dried mango flavoured cranberries- when I'm craving something sweet in mid-afternoon, it's an awesome way to trick myself into thinking I'm having a snack that's bad for me. I can't eat a whole bunch (they get stuck in my teeth like MAD), but a dozen or so iS good enough to curb the craving when I'm not ACTUALLY hungry, just wanting a little pick me up to get me through to the end of the day. Other than that- I tend to plan out what I'm eating more often than not- helps you see exactly what's going in.

And, I let myself have one day a week to eat whatever I want. You'd think I'd binge like crazy on that one day, but the truth is since like 85% of the time I don't allow myself any junk food, the internal filter is still there and reminds me to temper my portions. It's also really useful if you have a party or something where you KNOW there'll be bad food and you don't want to be the girl who just eats celery. That can be your day to eat whatever you want, it also makes you less up tight about it. Just have to be careful to only allow it to be ONE day...

[charizzle]

i just happen to be really fussy with meat. like I will not eat funky looking meat with a strand of vein hanging out, or a clump of fat sitting on it etc. so I always eat lean meat, and I only eat fish, seafood & chicken. I eat all vegetables and I crave vegetables more than I do for meat. I also find junk food kinda disgusting.

i don't have a sweet tooth so I only have desserts or chocolate once in a while, and I don't like drinking sodas. I only drink water & tea.

they're just habits and preferences that my parents reinforced ever since I was little. so it's very easy for me to eat healthy.

[Izzy2102]

I worked at burger king once, since then I never felt the urge to eat fast food again.

In general I don't find eating healthy too hard. There a lot of sweet fruits which you can use for great desserts.

I also often eat tofu instead of meat or eggs and I love making my own muesli

[brettb]

See, I'm a guy. ha ha when we get a sweet tooth no fruit on earth no matter how sweet it is will satisfy it.

[Izzy2102]

well OK, my weak spot is pizza and cheese can't go without it.

[Anonymous]

As often as you can, just have a bowl of vegetables for lunch. This might set you off in a healthy mood for the rest of the day. You can add sunflower seeds to it (for selenium which helps your brain produce happy chemicals), and add whatever you haven't had enough of lately, such as fish or egg.

[ThunderFox]

I have no secrets just had to make eating healthy a habbit I wouldn't get out of. Its also nice that junkfood now makes me ill so that's all the more reason not to eat it. I havnt quite got to where I want to be, just drinking water and no manmade foods, but I'm getting there.

[Mellinda]

salmon, cottage cheese, fruit and vegetables, natural oatmeal, flaxseeds :) they taste amazing, are low in calories and very healthy

[imonfire]

Eat a lot of healthy snacks. Don't build up a big appetite going into meals. Don't finish a meal if you are full. Drink a lot of water.

[JonnyBG]

I only buy actual food and never snacks. I also refrain from eating meat when possible, that work(ed) wonders for me.

[palek]

I only eat things that don't taste good and am thus in good health.

[Jaimelamour]

do brown sugar instead of white and use pepper instead of salt ,

[Red_Raconteur]

I only shop at organic grocery stores and don't buy any sort of treats

[Anonymous]

Premake your meals using healthy and viable ingredients.

Dont hesitate to buy fruits if that means you won't buy ice cream.

[Babygurl2012]

i just simply watch what and how much I eatand drink lots and lots of water

[crazybastard]

im not gonna tell you my secrets. that's why they are called "secrets"

[Anonymous]

I'm vegetarian, have been for 8 years.

[Anonymous]

self-control. That's all there is to it.

[TheRealAttila]

Fast two days a week