Because we are so bombarded with unhealthy foods at every turn, from fast foods to endless social occasions that center around food, it can be difficult to change your habits and eat lower calorie and healthier foods. When you are determined to lose weight, you must also commit to changing the habits that led you to your current situation.
The key is to plan ahead, both with buying the healthy foods to have on hand as well as to make sure you have prepared foods for those key moments of weakness where you may otherwise be tempted to hit the vending machine or the fast food drive-through window. Instead, make sure you have wholesome food with you; pack lunch for school or work, and pack breakfast as well, as needed. Otherwise you will be hungry and tempted to fall back on old, familiar habits.
At the supermarket be sure to follow the rules about shopping the outer aisles where you will find the fresh fruits and vegetables you will want to stock up on. You've got a wide variety of choices; really there are no "bad" fruits or vegetables. Add lean proteins as well, which may range from fish, poultry, as well as vegan choices such as tofu and legumes. Avoid buying anything made of white flour. Make sure breads are 100 percent whole grain. Even better stock up on brown rice, oatmeal and other healthy whole grains.
Check out the frozen food aisles for frozen vegetables that don't have added sauces. These will make meal preparation handy as you will not need to do any washing, rinsing and chopping. Frozen meals by and large should be avoided as they are high in fat, salt, sugar and additives.
If you are new to cooking begin with some easy recipes. Find online recipe Web sites or classic cookbooks that will show you some basic preparation of the fresh ingredients you are buying. You can also find many diet cookbooks that teach you to make healthier versions of your favorites.
Plan out your menus for the upcoming week and where possible do some cooking of items that you can keep handy in the refrigerator for a few days, such as beans or rice or salad fixings. You may also want to get your whole family involved in both the meal planning and the meal prep. Cooking is a passion for many people and there are so many shows on television devoted to it, that you can perhaps rally around the common cause to not only eat better meals, but to have fun in the process. It will be well worth the effort.
The key is to plan ahead, both with buying the healthy foods to have on hand as well as to make sure you have prepared foods for those key moments of weakness where you may otherwise be tempted to hit the vending machine or the fast food drive-through window. Instead, make sure you have wholesome food with you; pack lunch for school or work, and pack breakfast as well, as needed. Otherwise you will be hungry and tempted to fall back on old, familiar habits.
At the supermarket be sure to follow the rules about shopping the outer aisles where you will find the fresh fruits and vegetables you will want to stock up on. You've got a wide variety of choices; really there are no "bad" fruits or vegetables. Add lean proteins as well, which may range from fish, poultry, as well as vegan choices such as tofu and legumes. Avoid buying anything made of white flour. Make sure breads are 100 percent whole grain. Even better stock up on brown rice, oatmeal and other healthy whole grains.
Check out the frozen food aisles for frozen vegetables that don't have added sauces. These will make meal preparation handy as you will not need to do any washing, rinsing and chopping. Frozen meals by and large should be avoided as they are high in fat, salt, sugar and additives.
If you are new to cooking begin with some easy recipes. Find online recipe Web sites or classic cookbooks that will show you some basic preparation of the fresh ingredients you are buying. You can also find many diet cookbooks that teach you to make healthier versions of your favorites.
Plan out your menus for the upcoming week and where possible do some cooking of items that you can keep handy in the refrigerator for a few days, such as beans or rice or salad fixings. You may also want to get your whole family involved in both the meal planning and the meal prep. Cooking is a passion for many people and there are so many shows on television devoted to it, that you can perhaps rally around the common cause to not only eat better meals, but to have fun in the process. It will be well worth the effort.