WARNING: I am not a health expert. I am just a full-time student (studying to be an English teacher) with a part-time desk job. These are things that have worked for me, worked for others, or that I want to try.
Hot Tub Time Machine.....
My mother purchased this alien object from Amazon a few days ago. It's actually really snazzy. It helps you make sure you are having the correct portion size. When it comes in the mail and we actually use it, I will be sure to let you know if it is worth your time and money. Including shipping and handling costs, it's about $15.
http://www.amazon.com/Meal-Measure-Portion-Control-Tool/dp/B004Z0SDXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340286009&sr=8-1&keywords=portion+control+plates
http://www.amazon.com/Meal-Measure-Portion-Control-Tool/dp/B004Z0SDXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340286009&sr=8-1&keywords=portion+control+plates
Fruit Before a Meal...
In high school, I was told by a friend to eat fruit before you eat your meal. The fruit is supposed to eat the fat off of your food or something... even if this sounds absurd, it seemed to work. I will do some research on this later, but for now, you may want to do some research on your own on this one before you trust me.
A New Tip I Want to Try.....
My boss told me that he drinks a glass of water before every meal, so he will eat less. This makes sense to me since I have heard that when you think you're hungry you're actually probably just thirsty and in the winter, you should drink two glasses of water before each meal so you won't eat as much. I think I will start trying this today if I remember and it will also help me get that 64 oz of water a day we're supposed to have.
Good For Some, But Not For Others.....
One thing I did for a while was MyFitnessPal app. This counts the calories you have eaten that day. It is really helpful because you give the app your weight, height, age, and weight loss/gain goal and it tells you how many calories you should be eating a day. You can also tell the app what kind of exercise you did that day and it will tell you how many calories you burned. The reason I stopped using this app is because I would cheat and look for the lowest calorie count of a food I had eaten and when I exercised, I would just eat what I had burned off and more. It made me miserable because I wasn't losing any weight. I eventually decided it was better for me to not count my calories even though my doctor recommended it. If you can not cheat yourself on this then I definitely suggest you try it.
Another thing I have found this app good for is people who may be eating too little. If you are suspicious of someone being anorexic or you think you might be eating too little, this app is great because it will tell you at the end of the day if you should be eating more!!
Don't Knock It Until You Try It.....
When I used to hear "Diabetic Recipe", I would automatically think bland, sugarless, disgusting! But my family is full of diabetics, so I have actually had the opportunity to try some really great recipes! I actually made a really yummy diabetic burrito a few months ago that I will post the recipe to later. Also, my grandmother always makes the BEST diabetic cakes (and remember, I'm a picky eater!). I encourage you to look up your favorite recipes on diabetic websites or cookbooks. See what you can do to make that family favorite healthier. And don't be afraid to try new things (I'm preaching to the choir!).
Also, REMEMBER, don't pile on the food!!!
Here are some of my fave diabetic recipes sites:
http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/diabetic-recipes/ you don't have to be a member if you don't want to, when that option pops up there should be a floating icon on the top left part of the screen that says "continue to destination"
Learned it From Mom...
Something my mom does is use smaller plates. This helps her to remember to eat smaller portions.
Unfortunately, I don't use small plates because I don't like my food to touch (oh, I'm one of THOOOOSE people).
 |
| I would suggest using the middle plate. Or, if you're like my mother who has the stomach of a bird, then go for the small plate. |
Mind Over Matter....
Another great trick I have come across that seems to work for me is putting your fork/spoon down between bites. Think about it... While you're still chewing, you already have another mouthful headed your way! Your body has no time to decide if it's full. Also, putting your utensil down between bites will make you full quicker because it is taking longer for you to eat!
Some people count their chews which will also make you eat slower, but I don't have the patience for that!
GREAT IDEA...
Obviously, my mother is a big influence on me... as I mention her a lot. Yesterday, my mom and I came up with this fun exercise that we want to start doing. We are going to choose a television show that comes on often that we love (pick something that is on rerun so you won't only be doing this once a week or pick a different show for each day of the week... we chose Big Bang Theory!!). When that show comes on, it is now the designated exercise time for the whole family. While the show is on, lift weights. When it commercials, do sit-ups and push-ups. Challenge each other to see who can do the most in a commercial break!! This is fun for the whole family and now you have at least one exercise buddy!!
ANY OTHER IDEAS/ADVICE WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED!!
HAPPY STEPPING
-Olivia
No comments:
Post a Comment