Diet Tips & Strategies

These are tried and true strategies.  I like all of them, that’s why I’m giving them to you.  Good luck, and let me know what your best strategies are.

Time saving strategies:

• Wash and cut 1/2 of your produce as soon as you buy it. Wash and cut the other half in the middle of your week.
  Store your veggies in a veggie tray with a healthy dip close by (Hummus, bottles of light dressing, black bean dip, etc.) This is a ready-made munchie for when you are preparing another meal, or to eat as a snack.
• Make your to-go snacks and meals the night before. I know you are tired. Believe me, I KNOW! But how badly to you want to fit into those jeans? Take an extra 10 minutes to pack healthful meals and snacks for your next day.
• When you work out, try to work out hard! The harder you work out, the better it is for your body. Hey, you’re there anyway, you might as well get the most out of your time.  Don’t let that overwhelm you though, just walking and breaking a sweat is better than nothing at all, so get moving!

Beat-the-craving strategies:

• The best strategy I can offer when you are craving something is to have it, but have it in moderation. If you deprive yourself of everything, you will fall off the wagon, and lose your motivation because “this isn’t working for you” and “You just can’t stick to a diet” and whatever other self degrading comment you can think of to fit here. I’m offering 3 cheats a week just for your cravings. Keep within ideal portion sizes or the serving size offered on the package, and you can count it as one cheat. Eat SLOWLY, and savor every second. If you know you can only have one piece of pizza, you will savor it more than you would if you know you could eat the whole thing. You will feel rewarded when you are done, because not only did you get to eat what you craved, but you were able to CONTROL YOURSELF!!! You stayed on your diet, and you are still leading a healthy lifestyle.

• Bread: choose something whole wheat, or one small portion of what you are craving, and use a cheat.
• Chocolate: Either indulge in a small piece of dark chocolate, or eat something salty, like a handful of salted almonds.
• Pizza: try making an individual pizza on a whole wheat pita or English muffin. Use part skim or fat free mozzarella, lots of veggies, and use meat sparingly.
• Sweets: try something dark chocolate. Don?t order something, rather, have 2 or 3 small bites of someone else?s. A lot of times my sweet tooth has been satisfied if I have one handful of trail mix with raisins and bits of chocolate. The fat and protein in the nuts help me feel full, and the raisins and chocolate satisfy my sweet tooth.
• Wine: try a spritzer with 2 oz. wine and 2 oz. club soda or mineral water.
• Mexican food: skip the cheese, go easy on the sour cream, try to order a fajita salad or a soup and salad. If you must have chips and salsa(which I must) either count them as you eat them (stop at around 12, which is 2 corn tortillas) or set 12 out on your napkin and eat only those. Don?t do anything fried, and no margaritas! (remember you only have 3 cheats a week)

Get-through-the-hunger strategies:

• Chew gum. I’ve read somewhere that the act of chewing sends a message to the brain that you are being satiated. Hey, it’s worth a try!
• Drink a glass of water. Water will help fill your stomach before you eat.
• Snack on veggies and/or a handful of nuts. A low calorie snack that won’t budge your blood sugar is a good choice.
• String cheese.
• Yogurt with fruit and nuts.
• Have a broth based soup. Many times my hunger strikes at night when I can’t sleep, say 11pm. I’ll go boil some water and throw in a teaspoon of mushroom bullion and a can of water chestnuts and some frozen corn and peas. It’s a crunchy, filling healthful snack that I won’t feel guilty about the next day. I’m also loving the 90 calorie packet of Trader Joe’s Instant Miso Soup right now.
• Try running in place for 30 seconds, running up the stairs, doing jumping jacks, something to get your heart pumping.

Beat the Unknown Strategies:

• Plan a week of meals with your check-off chart next to you. You will have more success if you plan ahead. Also, plan meals where you can use your leftovers a day or two later. For example: roast a whole chicken and use the leftovers for chicken tacos or a chicken salad.
• Plan simple healthy snacks you can keep with you in your purse or car. If you find yourself in a situation without healthy choices, your snack can tide you over until you can eat a healthy meal.
• Take the steps to prepare for a meal before meal-time arrives. If you wash and cut when you have time, and when you feel like it, (even a few days before) your meal prep. time will go way down, and you will end up eating more healthful (planned) meals.
• Rid your kitchen (and all secret spots) of the ‘bad’ foods. 

Motivation to Work Out Strategies:

• Look at your schedule and plan a time to work out. Early morning? Right after you drop off the kids at school? Right after work? If you plan to go 3 times, you may be able to fit in more, but at least you are going 3 times! At first you will probably have to MAKE yourself do this. It will get easier. As you see your waistline disappear, you will be more motivated to keep it up.
• If you don’t feel like working out on a scheduled workout day, try walking. As time goes on, you may find yourself increasing your speed. When I do this, I start thinking, well, I’m already here, I might as well make the most of it! The key is to start.
• Hang your skinny jeans on the wall. 
• Put a picture of you at your fattest on the fridge. 
• Imagine that your sweat is acually fat dripping off your body.

Keep on the diet Strategies:

• Only have one serving, meaning, don’t go for seconds. 
• If you find yourself going for a second serving, go for a full glass of water first.
• Dish out your meal on your plate, put everything away, then eat.  The food won’t be there tempting you to have “just one more bite” over and over again.  (put a tin foil tent on your plate and stick it in the microwave to keep it warm while you are packing everything up)

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