Defeating Dieting Crashes
When dieting it becomes a constant part of your life; while out for shopping or deciding on what to eat; out with friends or sitting in front of the TV, sometimes it can become exhausting trying to maintain a balance. Paradoxically, food is also what will help you to have enough energy to last you through the day. It also ensures keeping your resolve of eating right and also clear thinking.
In fact, the correct word should not be dieting but rather a model of eating. In order to loose weight, you try to keep the energy coming in to be less than the energy being burnt. This is done by carefully balancing the calories eaten with physical activities to burn the calories.
The first step in overcoming the dieting failures would be to consciously choose foods that are energy boosting. It is advised that you choose foods from the food groups of nutritious foods such as whole wheat, grains, fruits and vegetables. Protein should be consumed in substantial amount to reduce the cravings and can be obtained from the lean meats, fish and chicken. Soy foods such as tofu, soy milk also can be used.
This does not imply that you should cut out the carbohydrates completely as these are required by the body for many essential functions. All that is required is to cut back on chips, chocolates, cakes, etc. it is okay to have these once in a while but not everyday.
If you require a stimulant to keep you alert in the day, it is safe to have a cup of coffee or tea to perk you up, but do not make it a habit. Coffee is rich in caffeine which is a mild stimulant. Do not make drinking coffee a habit since it has a dehydrating effect on the body.It is recommended that protein should be combined with carbohydrates. It helps if you add protein to your breakfast so that it lasts you for a longer time. Most of the time it is easier for us to eat whatever is easily available owing to many factors such as time constraints, stress or boredom; it is important that at such times we keep healthy foods as a handy alternative in form of a banana or any other filling fruit.
It is okay to mix different food groups since they provide energy to the body at different rates and hence keep us feeling energetic and alert.
It is important that you provide your body with a regular supply of energy during the day and this can be done by eating snacks or mini meals in between the meals. One should take care to limit the snacks and treat them as snacks and not as a meal by itself. Many people tend to overdo the snacking.Some people find it easier to have three main meals in a day while other benefits from six meals a day plan. You need to work out as to what works for you best. It is recommended that a person should have snacks between meals or may be even eat six times a day instead of three.The most important meal of the day is the breakfast and should never be skipped as it puts the body into a starvation mode. Combining carbohydrates with proteins will help your body to fend off hunger for a longer period.
Next advice is often given but hardly heeded by the dieters and that is never to overeat. Easier said then done. Period. Food is burnt by the body in order to provide energy to the brain and the rest of the body. If the body is always involved in digesting the food, it would not be able to provide the fuel required by the brain for proper functioning and hence the crashes that you face.It is important for dieters to keep the body hydrated; the smallest of dehydration tends to make the body feel sluggish and feel listless. Dehydration can also result in a headache which is often attributed to low blood sugar; when in actuality al you need is a glass of water.You may be feeling low due to low levels of iron and can be easily made up by eating food that has been fortified with iron.
To maintain energy levels throughout the day, you should pursue the following points; eat the right things from all the food groups, cut back slowly on the carbohydrates which are obtained from the ‘junk’ food, eat regularly from more than a single food group, avoid overeating to remain alert, be aware of what your body demands and do not mistake thirst for hunger.Calories do count at the end of the day and you need to burn more calories then you eat in order to loose weight.
