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WHEN, WHAT AND HOW TO EAT
Foods plays an vital role in your weight loss program. Many factors are there to focus in order to get a maximum output from your weight loss program. These are the eleven points which gives you a clear idea about when to eat, what to eat and how to eat.
Choose your Protein first
You should eat protein, carbohydrate and a little bit of fat each time you eat throughout the day. Some proteins contain enough fat that all you need to add is carbohydrate. If you choose a red protein such as lean beef, salmon or tuna, these proteins contain enough fat that all you need to add to your meal is a portion of carbohydrate. If you choose a lean, or a white protein, such as egg whites, chicken breast, turkey breast, or lean fish, you will need to add both carbohydrates and a little bit of fat to that meal to keep the nutrient ratios optimal for blood sugar stabilization and the release of fat.
Eat often
You should eat often and throughout the day. Your first meal should be consumed within an hour after you wake up each day, and then you should eat small meals every 3-4 hours up until an hour before bedtime. When you eat this way, and regulate your portions so your blood sugar stays between 80 to 120 mg/dl of blood without your body having to work hard to release sufficient insulin or glycogen to stay in that range, then your body will release fat. This is exactly what you want, to put your body into fat burning mode to release body fat.
Watch the grains
As a nation we have been conditioned to over-consume both wheat and corn. Get your starchy carbohydrates from a variety of grains and legumes. Try new grains such as brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats, and don’t forget about legumes. Black beans, kidney beans, green peas, lentils and other legumes are all excellent high quality food choices and filled with fiber that is good for you and will make you feel satisfied for longer!
Choose Higher Quality Foods
The higher quality foods you choose to eat from each nutrient group, the better your results will be. High quality carbohydrates will keep you feeling full for longer and will also keep your blood sugar more stable. The higher quality proteins will be better able to give your body what it needs to repair itself and build new muscle tissue, and healthy fats promote healthy cell metabolism.
Eat Fat to Lose Fat
That’s right! Fats help burn body fat and are ESSENTIAL for your body’s hormone production, skin health, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, regulating blood pressure, and regulation of blood fat levels (lipids). Choose healthy fats such as those from wild caught fish, olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.
Eat locally grown and in season
Support your health and your community by eating foods grown by local farmers. These foods will be more nutritious, picked closer to the time they are naturally ready to be picked and eaten, and will not have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles to sit in on your grocer’s shelves.
Eat when you are hungry
You should feel ready to eat at mealtime, and you should eat when you feel hungry. Making these changes for a lifetime and achieving lasting results is not about starving yourself! It’s about learning how your body works and getting it to work efficiently for you.
If you go too long between meals or skip meals you will end up over hungry later in the day, which will only set you up to over eat or eat the wrong foods. When you learn to eat this way you should never feel like you are “starving” and you should never feel “stuffed” after a meal again.
Eat Fish
Eat fish - especially oily fish such as Tuna and Salmon. Go for Wild-caught Salmon rather than the farm raised version. These oily fish will give you both essential fatty acids as well as increase leptin production, a hormone that controls appetite. Tilapia is also a good alternative; it is a farm raised fish which is white in color and has a mild taste. It is fairly lean but does have some fat.
Eat Spicy Foods
Spice it up! Don’t be shy about adding flavor to your foods by adding spices. This is an excellent way to make your food more satisfying and to get all the flavors your body craves. In the Eastern tradition of Ayurveda there are 6 flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent, and we need all six to feel satisfied. In addition, hot and spicy foods such as peppers, including jalapeno, habanero, cayenne, chili as well as black pepper, which contain something called capsaisin which speeds up metabolism for as much as 30 minutes after consumption. Turmeric is known to decrease inflammation in the body, and is even more effective when consumed with capsaisin from pepper.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
Choosing whole and unrefined grains and foods will naturally increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Higher fiber, higher quality foods will not only improve your digestion and your elimination, but will make you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer.
Enjoy your meals
It should be no surprise to anyone that a meal consumed in a stressful or hurried manner is not digested and metabolized the same as a meal eaten in a peaceful and relaxed environment. Take time to enjoy your meals and savor every delicious bite (and every bite SHOULD be delicious!). Enjoy your meals in a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by people and experiences you enjoy. Not only will your body metabolize your food better, but you will feel more satisfied and nourished by the experience.
