Prepare Mentally For A Diet | Medifast.com Coupons & More

3 Squares Will Make You Round: The idea of having only 3 meals per day is one that should definitely be retired. If you’re only eating at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you will find yourself in a cycle of being too full throughout the day, drowsy in the mid-afternoons, and wanting to eat again before bed. You are not a camel – you cannot pack in extra ‘fuel’ during the day and expect to burn it during the evenings when most people are least active. Instead, you will often find yourself turning to sweets or salty snacks in the evening, and all those extra calories consumed during your “3 meals” will turn into stored fat while you sleep. A much better eating plan is to break those meals up into smaller mini-meals, and to make sure and have them 4-6 times throughout your day. You’ll be consuming the same amount of food and calories, but by spacing it out you can keep yourself feeling full, burning energy as it is consumed, and reduce the chance of binging in the evenings. Just a little planning ahead is all it takes.

No Deprivation: Depriving yourself of the foods you love is only setting yourself up for failure. How can you enjoy the salad in front of you when all you can think about is how you will never have cheesecake again? It just does not work, as this strategy leaves you feeling dissatisfied and cranky. How much better does that salad look and taste when you know you can have a ½ portion of cheesecake afterwards? Much better! Find ways to make room for treats in your diet by choosing the fat- and sugar-free version of ice cream, reducing the portion sizes, and adding another 10 minutes to your daily walk. The internet is chock-full of low calorie recipes, many of which would fit perfectly into your preferred diet plan. Some creativity and investigation is all that is required to come up with some delicious alternatives that won’t break your diet.

No Zombie Eating: All too often we are barely – if at all – conscious of what we are putting in our mouths while we’re eating. If you’ve just taken the time to prepare a nice, home-cooked meal, why would you plow through it in just a few minutes? Slow down and take the time to really experience the tastes and textures of your food. Not only will you realize that you are full before you have overeaten, you will also spend more time enjoying your food instead of feeling deprived. Mindless eating is also a problem in the evenings, while sitting in front of the television or computer. Make yourself a promise that meals and snacks deserve your full attention and avoid the temptation to nosh while doing something else. Only by being fully aware and focused can you really enjoy the experience of eating. This will also remove the risk of polishing off an entire bag of cookies in front of the evening news.

Stay Hydrated: One of the easiest things you can do while losing weight is to increase the amount of water you drink. Six to eight 8-ounce glasses per day is optimal. Avoiding thirst will help in many ways, from flushing waste and toxins from your body to curbing cravings. If you believe that you are hungry between meals, try a big glass of ice-cold water and wait 10 minutes. More often than not the hunger pangs will go away. Try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to your ice water, or even one of the sugar-free flavor packets that are so popular today. Flavors range from green teas to fruit drinks, and many add health-boosting anti-oxidants to your daily H2O. Take a large, reusable water bottle with you everywhere, and refill it often. Using these tips will help to make sure you get plenty of water while avoiding the temptation to go for a sugary drink.