By MAD21
Eat breakfast every day, even if it’s just a nutrition bar or shake. If you like cereal, I highly recommend Kashi Go Lean Crunch (sometimes I also add cherry flavored Craisins), Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, or mixing a serving of Grape Nuts with a serving of any flavor yogurt together.
Eat fiber and protein at every meal.
When choosing foods to eat, try to keep them in their most natural form. For example, eat an orange instead of drinking orange juice. The further away they get from their natural form, the more they are stripped of their nutrients, and other preservatives/additives will be added.
Eat things that are whole grain, not whole wheat.
When looking at ingredient lists, try to stay away from things that are ‘enriched’ (enriched wheat, enriched flour, etc.) That basically means they have been stripped of their nutritional value.
Weigh yourself every day and log it in your food diary.
Log all of your activity/exercising in your food diary. Example: Ran three miles, mowed lawn, cleaned house, shopping, gym classes...
Try eating the same foods each day for breakfast and lunch. For example, a piece of whole grain toast with butter and an egg for breakfast, and 2-3oz of lean turkey, 1oz of cheese on one piece of whole grain bread (with Dijon mustard) with a fruit for lunch. If you eat the same thing every day (I would do it for two weeks or until I needed a change), you won’t be spending so much of your time thinking about what you are going to eat at the next meal. Then plan out your dinners a week at a time. The less you think about food, the better.
If you find that after a few months, you aren’t making progress, try changing up your routine. So if you are used to running three days a week, and weights twice a week, change the intensity level, or change the activity. Maybe start focusing on a different set of muscles, or ride an elliptical machine instead of riding a bike. Jog instead of walk. Etc.