Losing weight is not only about how many calories you burn, but also what you are actually eating. Many people complain about not losing weight when they are working out. This is most often due to the fact that they are not eating properly. Without a properly balanced diet, losing weight is an uphill battle. It will do you no good to exercise everyday, and then eat cheeseburgers and full fat milkshakes! You will be canceling all your efforts in the gym if you are not eating correctly.
The intake of the appropriate foods plays a larger role in weight loss than most people realise. Therefore you need to plan your diet well. Also you will want to eat a variety of foods to keep yourself from becoming bored with your new diet. Eating appropriately will also give you the energy that you need to workout effectively.
Ideally, you should plan to eat small meals every 2-3 hours throughout the day. Some people will eat 4 times per day and some will eat 5-6 times per day. How many times per day you eat is up to you, but it is proven that multiple small meals spread throughout the day is far more effective for weight loss than the old standard of 3 meals per day.
Eating right during the holidays is tough for many of us. There are many appetising foods rich in sugar, excess fat, and carbohydrates. It is essentially part of almost every holiday to eat, drink, and be merry. This causes us to over indulge in foods that are not good for us. We have a tendency to eat even when we are not hungry.
The habits that we develop over the holiday season are hard to shed once the holidays are over. This is why the period between Christmas and New Years is so tough on someone trying to lose weight. It is also the reason why early in the New Years so many people struggle to get the weight off. If you develop good eating habits before the holidays and use determination, focus, and persistence you can avoid bad eating habits and picking up excess weight.
Following good eating practices can help you to continue eating right. Be consistent in your food consumption. Eat at the same times daily. This will help your body adapt to a routine, and help you to control your hunger. Eat in a relaxing setting and don’t eat while doing something else such as watching the television or reading a book. Focus your attention on what you are eating. Learn to eat for energy and not so much for taste. You can actually retrain your taste buds in a matter of weeks so that your body will become accustomed to not eating foods high in fats, sugars, and salts.
By changing bad eating habits over a period of time to a healthy, balanced diet which supplies you with sufficient energy to exercise daily, you will soon start to feel good about yourself. Make a conscious decision today to eat right in order to lose weight – and keep the weight off.