Being a foodie and managing a healthy body weight can be a very critical combination. When you love to eat but at the same time you want to achieve a toned, slim body, you might think that you will have to make sacrifices. However, this is not true.
You do not have to choose between your favorite food and your fitness journey. You can achieve both with a little smartness and clever strategies. Here are some of the smart ways you can Devour your favorite food while maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Learn About Portion Control
One of the best ways to eat your favorite cuisine without gaining weight is to eat in portions. Small portions of food that are within the daily intake limits can help you maintain weight while eating what you love.
Moderation is the key to living a healthy life. When you eat everything in moderation, you will never gain weight. Therefore, make sure that you understand portion control and practice it as your routine.
- Focus On Balanced Meals
Balanced meals are crucial for healthy living. When you want to follow your favorite diet, however, you want to skip the weight-gaining aspects of your favorite food, you should consume that food in a balanced way.
You should make sure that you are taking your daily dose of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and multivitamins. You can learn about the optimum intake of each food group with the help of a nutritionist, or by understanding your body.
- Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating can help you maintain your weight while you eat what you love. This means that you devour your favorite chocolates, snacks, and other food items without disturbing your fitness routine if you eat them in moderation.
You should avoid stress eating as it is often the major reason behind weight gain. Therefore, make sure that you implement healthy stress management techniques and avoid excessive eating during stressful times. Moreover, you should also learn to differentiate between hunger pangs and thirst. Sometimes, your body may ask for water while your mind might take it as a hunger cue.
- Focus On Your Timings
When you want to maintain a healthy body weight, you should be very mindful of your meal timings. Make sure that you avoid snacking in the middle of the night as it can cause you to gain weight. Similarly, you should avoid consuming heavy meals at night.
Moreover, if you want to treat yourself to any of Reese’s products or your favorite snacks, make sure that you take them around your workout sessions. This way you can offset the extra calories by increased metabolism and energy expenditure during workout.
- Choose Smarter Alternatives
When you are on a tight fitness routine, you should opt for healthier options for your cravings to avoid weight gain. For instance, you can eat a fruit to satisfy your cravings for something sweet as whole fruits contain more fiber content, which is good for your metabolism.
Similarly, instead of eating fatty parts of your protein options, opt for lean meat to help you feel fuller and more satisfied.
- Earn Your Indulgence
If you can not live without your favorite chocolates, nut spreads, or other meals that are particularly fattening, you should earn your indulgence. Establish a reward system where you treat yourself with a small amount of your favorite guilty pleasure for achieving certain fitness goals.
For example, you can set a limit to achieve a certain number of steps in a week or incorporate a certain strength exercise in your routine and once you have achieved your goal, try to reward yourself with your favorite indulgence.
- Stay Hydrated
Your body needs water. Make sure that you are keeping yourself adequately hydrated. Proper hydration ensures that your body does not mistake thirst for hunger. Most times you might be thirsty and your mind might make you eat more.
This can sometimes lead to overeating. You should also make sure that you drink water at the right time. The first portion of the day is ideal for maximum hydration. Moreover, you should also avoid drinking water over your meals as it can slow down your metabolism and lead to indigestion and weight gain.
- Integrate An Active Lifestyle
While you are already following a healthy lifestyle, you should make sure that your physical activity is proportionate with your eating habits. The amount of extra calories you take for the day should be directly promotional to additional physical exertion.
If you want to achieve a healthy body, you should keep yourself physically active. Adequate physical activity can help you balance out your extra food.
Bottom Line
A fitness routine and eating what you love can be handled together. Instead of sacrificing any of your dreams, you can devour your favorite food and maintain a healthy body weight by practicing portion control, mindful eating, and burning your extra calories with adequate physical activity.