There appears to be no end to the list of quick fix diets marketed around the world, but health experts warn that many of these diets don’t work. The good news…there are some quick, easy ways to eat healthy. Diets that don’t work.
Quick fix diets are often frustrating and can end up causing you to gain weight in the long run. Adopting a life-long healthy eating plan has proven to be more effective for most people. Our bodies need all types of food in order to function properly; however, many fad diets deprive us of all the nutrients we need, causing deficiencies in our bodies. These deficiencies can impact our metabolism, which in turn can lead to weight gain, as opposed to weight loss.
Healthy Food
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According to registered nutritionists many high fat, high sodium dishes take a long time to prepare. Some of the healthiest meals are those that take just 5 minutes to put together. Oatmeal and fresh berries for breakfast, raspberry and wheat germ smoothies, and whole wheat English muffins with hummus are examples of quick and healthy breakfasts.
Nutritionists believe the best approach to meal preparation is to look for a variety of recipes that include healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables that you can easily add to dishes. One example is pasta. It only takes a few minutes to boil a pot of water. If you like pasta include lots of fresh vegetables in it. Three quarters of the plate should be vegetables, the rest pasta.
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This means you walk away full, but consume fewer calories than if you had a full plate of pasta.
When you come home after a long day at work the last thing you want to do is slave away in the kitchen preparing dinner. A lot of people cave and take the easy way out by throwing frozen pre-made, food in the oven. Many pre-packaged items are full of sodium and fat. A better alternative is to spend 5 minutes the night before or on the weekend chopping up vegetables. Store them in containers in the refrigerator to save you time and energy later. You can also invest in a crockpot so your dinner will be ready once you get in the door.
Sizing up the Situation on Healthy Eating
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Some studies show that food consumption is psychological. For instance, people tend to put more food on their plates if it is large. This has led to something called the “small plate movement”; a promotion to increase consumer awareness of food intake. The idea is that if you have a smaller plate, you will have less food and avoid weight gain. This works for people who can train themselves to not go back for seconds. The plate size theory goes much deeper than this though. Dr. Brian Wansink is a leading expert on eating behavior. He says people interested in healthy diets should be using large plates for fruits and vegetables, and other healthy foods, while small plates can be for unhealthy food items. This way people still feel like they are getting large portions. The reality is they are getting a lot of healthy food, but only a little of the unhealthy. The notion is that they feel like they are still getting what they want. Wansink and his supporters suggest taking a few minutes to go through your cupboards to check your plate sizes. Your large plate should be no bigger than 9 to 10 inches and your small plate 6 to 7 inches.
Important for Your Diets – Chew Your Food
Take 5 extra minutes to chew your food thoroughly. This is important according to several digestive studies, including one conducted at Iowa State University. During the Iowa study people were asked to chew pizza 40 times before swallowing and there was a reduction in hunger. The researchers discovered there was a reduction in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite. At the same time there was an increase in another hormone, CCK. CCK gives us a feeling of fullness.
Doctor Wansink says we need to trust our stomachs more than our eyes when it comes to our eating habits. We also need to think about our food choices and take time to chew and savor our food. If we can do these things, we will be well on the way to healthy eating.
