1. Don't Try Another Fad Diet
Do fad diets ever get anyone long-term progress, ever? Sure, you might drop a few pounds at first (that's a hard maybe!) — but these quick solutions aren't long-lasting and can also be dangerous. Develop healthy habits and stick with them instead of doing something that will drive you insane.
"Weight loss never lasts — scientific research has proven this time and time again," Christy Harrison, a Brooklyn-based dietitian, says. "It actually leads to weight cycling, or yo-yo-ing, which research suggests may be the true cause of many of the health problems we associate with being overweight, like diabetes and heart issues."
2. Embrace The Anti-Diet
Trendy meal plans may sound like the magical answer to get into your skinny jeans — swallow a pill, swig some juice, eat some kale. Unfortunately, it isn't that simple.
"Diets just don't work — they're not sustainable," Harrison says. "Not only that, but the pressure we put our bodies under — either by restricting food intake, over-exercising or a combination of both — ups your chances for so many negative health consequences."
One of the biggest? Weight gain! Plus, all of that carb watching and calorie counting is probably stressing you out. In turn, that causes your body to start releasing cortisol, a stress hormone that's been linked to increased weight.
3. Pack In the Protein
If you want to stay full and satisfied, amp up your protein — and not just meat. Eat hearty plant sources, too, like tempeh, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
"Protein requires 25 percent more energy to digest than carbs, so it's possible to cut your calorie intake without eating less food," says California-based personal trainer Jamie Sullivan. In other words, your body has to work harder to digest a salmon filet than it does a bowl of pasta, meaning you can get away with a few extra bites of that perfectly cooked fish while the noodles could do a number on your waistline.
4. Get Smart About Nutrition
Crying tears of sugar because you ate a donut that isn't on your approved list of foods isn't going to do you any good. You ate a donut. Cool. Move on. Here's why: Remember when you were a kid and your mom banned soda from your life forever and it only led to serious root beer binges when you got to your friend's house? Those same rules are in play here. Get label-crazed and you'll lose your mind — not excess weight. And cutting yourself off from all of your favorite things will only lead to overdoing it on the sugary, salty foods.
Instead, Harrison says you should look at foods as a way of self-care — eat what makes you feel good and forget about it as a means of slimming down (although a solid side effect of healthy eating: weight loss). Does that mean a free-for-all on the candy bowl? No. But it's a rule your body will naturally adapt to, not something you have to force on it. A bowl of almonds made you feel amazing in the mid-afternoon sales meeting, but those red gummies, not so much. Next time, you'll likely reach for the almonds.
Here are a few other key food rules to follow: Fresh is best. Try to eat a lean protein at every meal and make sure half of your plate is veggies.
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