13 good diet tips to try and follow

Drink plenty of calorie free liquid- (water is best as it cleans our systems). Liquid is important. Sometimes being dehydrated makes us eat more.

Think about what you can add to your diet, not just take away- Great in season fresh fruit and vegetables or a handful of walnuts instead of that snickers bar. Even a protein shake smoothie with your favorite fruit and not a Frap from Strarbucks. Try something new every week, something you have read about or is out of your comfort zone, you just may be suprised. I know I have been.

Consider whether you’re really hungry-Being bored, sad or just mindless eating can pack on those extra calories we forget we had. Sometimes I am just thirsty or bored.

Add spices and mustards- I save a lot of calories and fat by spicing things up or using mustard and not mayo or butter. Bad Byron’s Butt rub is good on veggies, meat, potatoes and has just enough kick to be pleasing and not overbearing. I use it in place of the bad stuff.

Eat a protein at every meal- I find if I do this I stay full longer and crave less of the bad carbs. My goal is 75 grams a day, I don’t normally make it, but I shoot for it daily. I notice a really big difference in how I feel and weigh loss when I get enough protein. Again, I am chucking the bad carbs and think that has something to do with it too.


Eat several mini meals - If I do this then my “furnace” as Al called it is always running and burning and I don’t get hungry and tend not to eat a lot of junk. It has been a hard thing for me to get use to but is very useful when I can do it. Sometimes packing the meals and snacks ahead of time works the best for me.


Don’t make dinner your “big” meal- When I don’t do mini meals, I make sure my breakfast or lunch is my biggest meal of the day. Then for dinner I will have a cup of soup and piece of cheese or some fruit and cottage cheese and tea. I have been told you need the bulk of your calories to keep you going in the morning and throughout the afternoon. I found this made sense and started using this practice on my husband on the weekends.

Use a smaller plate- I use a really cute brunch type salad plate for my meals and that way I am not overloading on a huge dinner plate. It seems to hold the right portion sizes and works out great. I also like having my own special pretty plate.

Eat slowly- I have yet to master this. For some reason I eat at warp speed and then my brain doesn’t have enough time to register if it is full. I have been trying to really taste what I am eating and enjoy it. Set it aside for a couple minutes and then continue. When I actually do this I eat much less. Sadly, all this great advice can be hard to follow and sometimes I forget to eat and am so famished I just inhale. I am making it a mental practice to eat slowly especially when I eat out.

Eating out- If something comes with fries or a potato, I swap it for steamed veggies, a side salad or skip the unhealthy side all together. Sometimes I just order off the children’s menu since it has smaller portions. I also get a to go container and set aside half of what I have to go right away. Many places are more than happy to accommodate and now have much healthier choices.

Never Banish- There are many foods I try not to eat anymore, mostly processed ones and really sugary desserts and things like that. Never say never! Once you mark it banished it is like you have to have it. So, it is always good to treat yourself to something you enjoy on occasion. When I do this, I try to not do it at home. Having pie or anything like that in the house is setting myself up for temptation. It’s a nice treat to just go share a piece of pie and coffee with someone, so why bother with temptation. I do think it is important to have some of the things I know I shouldn’t. After all life should be enjoyable.

Lifestyle change not a diet- A diet is temporary and never has long lasting results. So, I am thinking of this as a lifestyle change, it is something I plan to do for life, not just to get to a certain size. I think the word Diet should be banished. Die-t, like to die from starvation and lack of control with a T on the end.

Be active- It is so important to be physically active, even if it is just a walk to the end of the street and back. The benefits are far greater than losing some unwanted weight. The mental clarity alone is worth it. I slack sometimes on the grand workouts, but never miss a walk and that is the one thing that has helped my sanity, and given me time just for myself, and the one thing I am proud that I kept doing no matter how many set backs I have put on myself. Even running up and down my stairs gives me a boost. Being active is rewarding and your body and mind deserve it, you deserve it.