“Try the {FILL IN THE BLANK} Diet”

Every day it seems a new diet is ready to make weight loss faster and easier than ever before. Most fad diets take a few foods or drinks, give them magic power, and show a plan to convince people that eating or drinking these items will promote weight loss.  Fad diets might spur short-term weight loss, but many are expensive, hard to follow and will not lead to lifelong wellness.  We have all heard of the diets, Atkins, cabbage, grapefruit, HCG, Mediterranean, Paleo, Raw Food, Weight Watchers, and Zone.  From A to Z, the diets are out there if you want to try them.
 
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill for weight loss and no magic shake to drop 20 pounds overnight.  There are no magic fairies that are going to show up and force you to eat better.  A healthy diet means eating less, making smarter food choices, drinking water, getting off the couch, and moving your feet long enough to break into a sweat.  Fad diets that sound too good to be true, are just that.  Instead of spending hundreds of dollars a month on the latest craze, why not just get rid of all the junk foods in your cupboards?  Why not go for a brisk walk each day after school or work?  Why not drink water instead of those 4 or 5 sodas a day?  Here are a couple simple tips to lose weight and keep those pounds off:
 

• Don’t skip meals.Eat three small meals and three nutritious snacks a day.
• Stop saying I will never eat cake, candy, cookies or pie again.It is about moderation.Having a piece of birthday cake or Thanksgiving pumpkin pie are special occasions.Save treats for special days.
• Cut soda as it contains zero nutrition and is full of empty calories.
• Read food labels and watch portion sizes to lower your carbohydrates.Focus on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs such as whole grains, vegetables and fruit.
• Avoid processed boxed foods which are high in fat and sodium.
• Add green fiber foods to your diet like beans, broccoli, kale, peas, peppers and spinach!
• Try something new for breakfast.Instead of sugary cereals, try two boiled or scrambled eggs, oatmeal, or peanut butter on whole wheat toast to get more protein into your diet.
• Sit down and eat instead of eating on the run all the time and avoid the drive thru trap.
• Drink a full glass of cold water before each meal to increase water intake and feel fuller so you eat less.
• Show your kids how much fun it is to cook meals together at home!
• Put down the fork faster.Eating slower helps you ingest fewer calories and avoid acid reflux.
• Make exercise a priority.Each of us gets the same 24 hours a day.Take 30 minutes and do something for your heart!