Weight loss, when it comes down to it, is really rather simple. Unless you’re in the minority of people who might have glandular and thyroid issues (and of course, lifestyle circumstances are always important to give ourselves credit for), eating less and moving more will, on average, help you lose weight. This is a general truth we can abide by.
However, it’s also true that this general insight can sometimes give way to other untrue and unhelpful perspectives that limit you on your path. For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight then you don’t have to walk five miles a day, go to the gym four times a week, and only eat salads for two meals a day, in a state of perpetual hunger.
Learning that you can be satiated, comfortable, happy, and even indulgent on a weight loss plan is often news to some people, who have been told that weight loss is a fundamentally sacrificial effort. With that in mind, the question persists – can I indulge in foods despite my weight loss plan? In this post, we’ll discuss that and more:
- Proteins & Vegetables Can Satiate You
It’s mostly carbs that make weight-loss strategies hard to keep up with. Because they spike your blood sugar, it’s easy to feel hungrier more quickly than you would have otherwise, which is why it’s good to try and eat more protein if you can. Beans instead of carbs, great vegetables, or simply larger staple protein-filled items, like learning how to smoke tri-tip steak to perfection, can be tremendously rewarding and keep you feeling fuller for longer, with a lower calorie count.
- Eat Fewer Meals
For the most part, three meals a day is considered customary. This is absolutely healthy to keep up with, so if you prefer that, that’s great. However, if you prefer larger portions that help you feel fuller for longer, it can be that eating fewer but larger meals is worthwhile. For instance, perhaps each morning you only eat a banana, but then enjoy a larger lunch, and a larger evening meal, and then fast for 12-16 hours before your next breakfast snack. This means that you train yourself to be healthy for those off hours (without hunger pangs), break your fast with an energy burst when you need it, and then can enjoy larger meals throughout the day. That kind of approach can be tremendously healthy, so give it a try if it appeals to you.
- Low-Calorie Fats
Fats often contribute high-calorie counts, to the degree that we might not even be familiar with during the day. Cooking with oils can add up to two hundred calories to our diet each day, but it’s easy to forget to track this, as is using butter and other additions for roasting vegetables, etc. It can be worth switching out your oils for low-calorie options, or perhaps even sprays, to help eliminate this constant worry. On top of that, you’ll find that certain fats can be switched out, for example, the new ‘lighter than light’ mayonnaise with much-reduced calorie counts are quite popular, as are vegan substitutes like vegan mayo.
With this advice, we hope you can continue to enjoy your diet even while you’re losing weight.
