Easy Nutrition Tips for Weight Loss

Portion Control

Every meal should, ideally, contain a protein, carbohydrate and fat. All foods fall under these basic categories. The protein should be about the width and size of your palm and includes foods like meats, fish, beans and eggs. For the meat, try to eat anything with 2 legs or less and stock up on fish for heart-healthy Omega-3. Carbohydrates, contrary to the fad diets, are a necessary part of a healthy diet. Use your fist as a serving size guideline and try to make any breads and pastas whole wheat. Go for sweet potatoes over regular. Fruits and veggies are carbs, but you can have as many veggies as you want. Try to stick to the mornings and afternoons for sugar-packed fruits, or eat it as a healthy dessert. When it comes to fat, make a cup with your hand; the small indent in the middle is the amount of fat allocated for each meal. This includes oils, butter, nuts and avocado. Anything liquid at room temperature is better than solid, so pick oil over butter.

Pay Attention to the Glycemic Index

This measures the rate at which the body absorbs energy from the food; the higher the Glycemic index, the faster it is absorbed and the quicker you become hungry. Pick foods with a low Glycemic index like apples, soya milk and barley that have an index lower than 55 to feel full longer. Foods higher than 70, the worst of the bunch, include waffles, doughnuts, baguettes and cornflakes. Choose lower numbers so that the body can glean as much energy as possible from the smallest amount of food.

Always Choose Water

It has no calories, flushes out toxins and makes up most of the human body. Men should drink about 3 liters/13 cups and women 2.2 liters/9 cups each day. Avoid the sugar-filled flavorings, including the zero-calorie packets, steer clear of soda and drink fruit juice sparingly. Surprisingly, fruit juice can have more sugar than a can of soda, so pick fresh fruit over juice.

Read Labels

While many products proclaim to have the healthiest ingredients, you do not know for certain until you read the label. Read all the ingredients - you might be surprised at what you find. This is also a good way to get a sense of how many calories you ingest each day. Try keeping a diary of what you eat for a week and see where you can trim off a few here and there. Make sure to look at the serving size, as most products have more than 1.

Eat!

Never, ever try to eat only once or twice a day. You must keep your metabolism running throughout the day with small meals so that it continues to burn calories. If you eat too little, the body goes into starvation mode and actually begins hoarding fat, resulting in weight gain. Three to five meals spaced out regularly ensures an active metabolism. Find out how many calories you need to ingest during the day by calculating your BMR, or basal metabolic rate, and plan meals accordingly.