Mindful eating is half the battle, Trotter says. And not just because you could be unaware of how much junk food you’re eating in a day — it applies to healthy foods too.
“Almonds are healthy, but if you’re eating 10 handfuls every day, that’s going to lead to weight gain,” she says. That’s why she advises against noshing while you’re cooking or keeping a jar of snacks on your desk.
2. Eat breakfast
It’s a cliché as old as time: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But it’s true.
“Breakfast sets the foundation for the rest of the day. It helps to control your hunger hormones and curbs cravings,” Tong says.
“People who skip breakfast will set themselves up for hunger that will build throughout the day and culminate in making poor food decisions later on.
3. Eat more protein — wisely
Adequate amounts of protein are important, but so are the right types.
“Cheese and almonds contain protein, but the percentage isn’t that high and you’re getting other things like fats and lots of calories,” Tong says. While Tong recognizes the importance of natural sources of fat in your diet, she says that consuming a lot of it (like on plans like the Paleo diet) can lead to negative repercussions like high cholesterol levels.
4. Don’t cut out carbs
It’s not carbs or gluten that are the problem, it’s the excess consumption of them,” Tong says.
She says that disrupts the macronutrient balance we should be striving for — that balance differs for everyone, but if you’re striving for weight loss, aim for 40 per cent carbs, and 30 per cent of both protein and fat — and leads to weight gain. It’s not the carbs themselves.
5. Speaking of vegetables…
“Eat more of them,” Trotter says. And drink more water.
“These are obvious things that when you say them to people, they always respond, ‘Oh, I know,’ but they don’t do it. Drink more water and eat more vegetables at every single meal.”
6. Reduce your alcohol intake
It’s no secret that booze is loaded with sugar and calories, which is probably why it tastes so good, but that’s also why it leads to weight gain.
Since it gets digested and absorbed very quickly while not providing any satiety, it’s easy to overdo it.
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