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10 Tips For Shopping For Weight Loss
Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
Everybody is different. What works for your friend might notwork for you, or might work better for you. Therefore, thesesuggestions for shopping for weight loss are presented as helps,and I hope you will find something of use to you. With just alittle thought and creativity, you should be able to come upwith several more tips yourself.
1. Always use a list when you shop, and stick to it. Almost anyother food item you put in the buggy will be something that doesNOT fit in to your weight loss plan.
2. Plan ahead. Decide what your meals are going to be, and whatingredients you will need. Include portion sizes in thisplanning. If you just buy a pack of steaks, you will probablycook all those steaks at once and there is a chance they may beeaten all at once. Planning your meals will help you prepareyour shopping list. Plan also for meals such as lunches youcarry to work.
3. Take someone with you who you can trust to be on your side.By "on your side", I mean, of course, someone who understandsand supports your weight loss goals. While this person should beaware of what you are trying to accomplish, YOU must understandthat they ARE trying to help you, and YOU must give thempermission to express their honest thoughts about purchases youare making...especially if you are deviating from your list.
4. Have this trusted friend or family member HELP you draw upyour shopping list.
5. Always eat before shopping. It is a fact that shopping whenhungry increases your tendency to put extra items in yourshopping cart.
6. Learn to read the labels. Almost every food you buy has alabel outlining nutritional content and levels. Knowledge ofnutritional needs is important, but does not need to bedaunting. Basic information is easy to obtain.
7. Avoid convenience foods. Most have additional
calories, fats,or carbohydrates. Although they may taste great, this is often adirect result of those very attributes.
8. Plan PREPARED meals. Cook from scratch. Not only will youprobably enjoy the meals more, but having to prepare a mealhelps prevent you from indulging yourself with a quick and easysnack or meal.
9. Avoid buying "empty" foods. These are foods such as chips,cookies, or candy. An apple may have as many calories as a pieceof candy, but it contains a much higher level of nutrition, andprovides factors such as fiber, for example.
10. Buy foods you really like. Eating in a healthy manner doesNOT have to be a boring or unrewarding experience. Types ofmeals enjoyed in Japan, for example, can be tasty and adifferent and inviting experience, but they can also be verygood for you. Again, be aware of portion sizes. Just because itis "good for you" doesn't mean you ought to go back for secondsor thirds.
There you are, 10 hints for shopping for weight loss. Sinceportion sizes was mentioned twice, let me leave you with thisthought. Most Americans eat portions much larger thanrecommended sizes. A discussion of portion size is more than canbe incorporated into this small article. However, people inFrance tend to eat very rich foods yet do not have the obesityproblems found in America. People in Japan who eat a traditionalJapanese diet tend not to have an obesity problem such as isfound in America. As diverse as these two cultures and theirdiet are, a common factor is portion size. They typically eatmuch smaller portions than Americans.
About the author:
The author's interest in fitness and health began in 1970 whenhe first read Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". Find more weightloss tips at http://nodiet4me.com . You can find additionalarticles on fitness, health, and weight loss athttp://nodiet4me.blogspot.com .
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