Do you have a dress or suit you want to fit into this weekend? Are you sick of that bloated feeling?
With some easy changes to your every day diet, you can lose those last few stubborn pounds.
Jenny Maloney, Registered Dietitian at Midtown Chicago, shares her expertise.
Instead of two or three large meals, eat smaller portions throughout the day to keep your metabolism working. This will allow you to burn more calories.
Try to eat no larger than about a fist-size of each type of food on your plate.
Enjoy fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and avoid sugar and white flour. When presented with a choice in grains, opt for the whole grain version, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, and whole grain crackers. Fiber takes longer for your body to break down and will keep you satiated until your next meal or snack.
Not only does processing take out the nutrients from many nutrient-rich foods, they often contain hidden sugar, salt, and fat. Try for all fresh foods instead.
Reducing sodium will eliminate bloating. Sodium is found in most processed foods. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables cuts down on your salt intake. Salt dehydrates and causes our body to retain water, giving you that bloated feeling. Drink more water and less diet sodas and coffee, as these drinks dehydrate you.
By following these nutrition tips, you’ll eat healthier, which can decrease bloating, give you more energy, and hopefully lose that extra water weight gained by eating heavy food and processed food.
When are you getting started?
Another dietary theory supports eating a huge meal during the day & going on a mini fast in the evenings.
This fires up the body’s metabolism & gives it time to properly digest & absorb the foods, as well as eliminate waste & toxins from the blood stream.
However, eating small portions throughout the day is recommended for children, expecting moms, seniors & people with gastrointestinal problems, to avoid overloading the digestive system.
I would also add one more significant tip…
Having enough good quality sleep not only helps to improve our mind-body balance, it also gives our body time to detoxify & rev up our metabolic & energy levels.
So next time you feel tired… take a rest or nap, instead of digging into that bag of chips!
By Juliana Chew, Certified Health Coach & Holistic Nutritionist
There are many different philosophies on losing weight and/or eating healthfully. Try to find a plan that will work for your lifestyle and that you will be able to follow for the long-term. Consistency is key to any successful program.