Most diets fail as they are designed with extreme practices (no carbs, only shakes, no sugar, etc.) that aren’t realistic or sustainable for the long term. To achieve success in the long run, it’s all about establishing healthy habits that can be practiced daily without the use of calorie counting, food scales and prepackaged or prepared foods that are exclusive to the diet. Because let’s face it, these strategies aren’t realistic for the long run, nor are they enjoyable.
The best way to achieve long-term success is to ditch the diets and begin to practice healthy habits that can be executed anytime, regardless of the surroundings (vacation, BBQ, business trip, etc.). Luckily, the three tips below are designed to be implemented right away, are simple to follow and will result in fat loss if practiced correctly. Go ahead and ditch the diet today and get started with the following three nutritional strategies:
1) Portion control
Most American portions are out of control in terms of serving size. It’s very easy to gain weight given the portions that restaurants serve as well as what people perceive to be a normal portion size when cooking for themselves. Focusing on portion size has the ability to result in a significant amount of fat loss.
Based on Precision Nutrition as well as our own Lean Eating Nutrition Program, portions are measured with the use of a hand because it’s simple and convenient. Additionally, larger people need more food, and they have proportionally larger hands, and vice versa for smaller people. Below are the recommended meal portions for both males and females:
Protein
Males: two palms
Females: one palm
Carbs (including fruit)
Males: two cupped handfuls
Females: one cupped handful
Veggies
Males: two fists
Females: one fist
Fats
Males: 2 thumbs
Females: 1 thumbs
2) Veggies with every meal
Another nutritional strategy that is not only optimal for fat loss but also for overall health is to include veggies with each meal. Veggies are full of extremely beneficial nutrients, which are vital for health as well as fat loss.
For most, the hardest meal to incorporate this strategy with is breakfast. A few ideas that can make this easier are to make a shake for breakfast and include spinach, which is ultimately tasteless in a shake. Another strategy is scrambled eggs or omelets mixed in with veggies.
3) Stop at 80 percent full
The last nutritional strategy, which can truly aid in fat loss, is to stop eating at 80 percent full. The idea is to stop eating right before being full, which helps keep you from overeating. This strategy can take some practice to get just right, and that’s OK.
This strategy is particularly great for those who travel a lot for work or for those who have less control of available food at meetings, conferences or out at business dinners. Even if the food isn’t ideal terms of healthy choices, the 80 percent rule can still be implemented to keep overeating at bay.
Jason DeHenzel has trained some of New York’s most prestigious clients, including high-profile lawyers, advertising executives, movie producers and musicians. Sophie DeHenzel is a Pn1-certified nutritionist and former downhill ski racer. The pair founded DeHenzel Training Systems to develop customized fitness plans for clients of different abilities, experience and commitment. Find out more at dtsnova.com.
