Many of us just love eating delicious and terrible foods and washing them all down with a delicious and terrible beer. There’s nothing wrong with that, either. Good food makes life more bearable, if consumed in moderation.
But maybe you’re hitting the junk food too hard and are considering a healthier diet. This is a great decision to make, of course, but you don’t have to completely abandon every food you’ve ever loved. A lot of people are under that assumption when it comes to dieting, and it steers them away from ever changing the way they eat.
There are plenty of small things you can do with your diet that will really help without making your miserable. Here are seven of our favorites.
Have an afternoon snack on hand.
If you’ve ever noticed that you get fatigued in the afternoon, here are some snacks you can carry with you that’ll help give you that needed boost to keep going until dinner. Start carrying snacks like trail mix, blueberries, oats, apples, bananas, or almonds. These will keep you going without destroying your waistline.
Start your day with some protein.
A high-protein breakfast is a great way to start the day on the right foot. Eggs or turkey sausage are perfect for that, but if you don’t have time to cook in the mornings, we suggest Greek yogurt with nuts instead.
Focus on the word “can” and not “can’t.”
Yes, it is perfectly possible to eat healthy without dreading it. Doctors say that psychological tricks are extremely powerful when dieting. Instead of thinking, “alright, what foods can I NOT eat”, start thinking things like, “I can have as many fruits and veggies as I want.” Over time, it really helps.
Sit down and relax to eat.
Studies say that those who try to eat on the go are much more likely to consume more calories throughout the day thanks to this “mindless eating.” When possible, make an affair of your meals—sit down, with no distractions, and really focus on what you're eating. You're much more likely to enjoy yourself and much less likely to overeat.
Stay on a proper sleep schedule.
It turns out that sleep is directly correlated to weight gain and loss. If you aren’t sleeping much, this might lead to weight gain. To help with this, try setting an alarm each night that lets you know it’s time to hit the hay.
Focus on drinking water.
If you're not drinking a lot of water right now, you probably should start, considering that we need it for, oh you know, survival. However, not dying isn't the only reason you need the wet stuff. A glass of water before a meal can help fill you up and make you less prone to overeating.
Use laziness to your advantage.
Have you ever had candy or junk food in the house, but it’s far away that it's not worth getting up? Doctors suggest that you can use that to help you lose weight. A recent Cornell Food and Brand Lab study showed that patients who kept unhealthy foods close to them weighed at least 20 pounds more than the others who didn’t. Simply keeping junk food out of the house makes you less likely to indulge.
These tips might not seem like much, but over time they start to add up. Trust us, small steps like this make all the difference.