Tag: meal planning

Great Reasons to Add Variety to Your Diet

 

Variety truly is the spice of life and when you embrace variety in your food plan you will feel better, have more energy and achieve better weight-loss results. Don’t be a creature of habit, be adventurous and enjoy a variety of new foods daily and weekly as a part of your balanced food plan. Sparking variation in your normal health routine and food plan helps to create lasting change for sustainable weight loss and long-term good health.

Don’t fall into the habit of eating the same foods, doing the same exercises and expecting different results. Our bodies naturally require diet and exercise diversity because no one food contains all the nutrients our bodies require, nor does one specific exercise target all parts of the body. Here are some important reasons to add variety to your daily health regimen.

Improve Gut Health

The Institute of Food Technology states that diversifying your diet can improve gut health. According to a lecture by Mark Heiman, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at MiroBiome Therapeutics, diet is the principal regulator of the GI microbiome, which contains trillions of bacteria used to aid in digestion and regulation the GI system. Heiman’s studies concluded that the microbiome requires a varied diet to function optimally. Taking a digestive enzyme such as Diet Center Fiber Capsules and a probiotic while following your Diet Center Program will help to improve gut health, decrease inflammation and improve the absorption of key nutrients.

Receive Varied Nutrient Profile

Kale is nutritious, however eating kale all day every day won’t provide you with the nutritional makeup your body needs to perform its best. Though kale contains vitamins and nutrients, it does not contain the diverse number of nutrients your body needs to run all its systems optimally.

Lessen the Phytonutrient Gap

According to a study titled “America’s Phytonutrient Report,” 80 percent of Americans are endangering their health by failing to vary their diet with colorful fruits and vegetables. This finding refers to the “phytonutrient gap.” Humans need a varied, colorful diet to receive phytonutrients, many of which are powerful antioxidants that can fight the damage caused to cells over time.

Avoid Boredom

Other than the scientific health benefits of eating a variety of different foods, it can also help you avoid boredom in your program and lead to less deviation. Most people find that eating the same thing every day can become mundane and cause unnecessary overeating of unhealthy foods, simply to break the humdrum cycle. By varying your food plan with healthy items, you can stay on track and create excitement in your eating.

Connect with Your Food

By purchasing and preparing colorful, nutritious foods, you learn the beauty and importance of a balanced food plate. Filling your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables is like creating a piece of art. Think of the plate as your canvas and make it as beautiful and balanced as you can. Cooking at home will also allow you to forge a deeper connection to your meals knowing you created them by hand.

Boost Your Metabolism

Have you heard the term “shocking your body?” Chances are if you find yourself hitting a weight-loss plateau, your body is signaling the need for change. By altering your healthy food options, you can tell your metabolism to work harder to process and identify these new foods.

Tips for Variety

Now that you know why you should vary your food choices and exercise routine, here is how you can make small changes to achieve this variety every day!

Get colorful. Add a rainbow of different fruits and veggies to your cart every time you shop.
Try something new. Make a promise to yourself to try a new healthy food each week. Brussels sprouts, bok choy, dragon fruit, blood oranges, Swiss chard are great options for variance.
Shop with the season. For the freshest produce, consider eating fruits and veggies that are in season.
Add veggies. Add different vegetables to your favorite soup, sandwich or breakfast options for additional variety, nutrients and taste!
Start small. Change one part of your meal at a time. Add another vegetable or change up your typical protein selection. Small steps add up!
Switch up your exercise. Just like diet, the same exercise routine can lead to your body plateauing. Change your cardio or introduce small weights to your regimen. You might even find something new you didn’t know you liked!

Be adventurous and step out of your comfort zone. We have a feeling you will feel better, have more energy, experience faster weight loss and enjoy improved health.

Your Guide to Meal Timing, Frequency and Ratios

Ready for fast and easy results that will motivate you to stay with it until goal? Healthy eating begins with balance. You want to balance your food intake, increase variety and also be conscious of when and how much you are eating to get amazing results on the scale. Balancing the food on your plate, eating all of the food on your Diet Center plan daily and eating your meals at great times will lead to optimal weight-loss results.

What you eat is important, however, how much and why you eat is essential to your weight-loss success. At Diet Center we want you to have both rapid weight loss and lasting results. Proper portions, meal timing, ratios, not skipping meals and eating frequently heals your metabolism and prepares your body to burn stored fat for fuel and achieve lasting weight-loss results. Here are some helpful guidelines for Meal Timing and Frequency on your Diet Center Program.

Eat 30-45 Minutes After Waking

After a long night’s sleep, your body will require nourishment for energy. Diet Center recommends eating breakfast within 30-45 minutes of waking to provide your body with energy and help to prevent overeating later in the day. Before eating breakfast drink 8 to 16 ounces of water to prepare your bodily systems for the day. We recommend our 24 Hour Thermogenics Water Enhancer to boost metabolism and provide great appetite suppression. Eat a hearty breakfast consisting of lean protein, a healthy fat and an unrefined carbohydrate to keep you fuller longer! Diet Center products can also provide a variety of choices for easy-to-prepare breakfasts.

Eat Frequently

To keep your body energized and your metabolism functioning optimally, we recommend you eat every 2-3 hours. When you delay eating or skip meals, your insulin levels spike, which can result in added insulin in your blood stream, cravings and eventually lead to weight gain. When insulin levels are in balance, your body won’t go into starvation mode and blood sugar levels stay balanced.

Eat 2/3 of Your Food Before Bed

To assist with cravings and control overeating, enjoy your breakfast, lunch and snacks within the first 9 hours of your day. Finish eating all of your food for the day within 2 hours of going to bed. We also recommend eating your starch and fruit servings early in the day to ensure your body will digest them properly throughout your day. Also be sure you are taking your Carb Blockers to assist with reducing cravings, decreasing hunger and increased fat burning.

Eat Everything on Your Plate

Contrary to many weight-loss myths, skipping meals or leaving food on your plate does not equate to healthy and consistent weight loss. You must eat to lose! Eat all the food allotted on your plan to experience fast and healthy weight-loss results. These foods are specifically designed to boost your metabolism and create thermogenesis—or the creation of heat—in the body. This process allows your body to burn fat for fuel and shed excess weight in a fast and healthy manner. Count nutrients and not calories. Nourish yourself and nourish your health.

Eat Proper Ratios

Obtaining the optimal ratio of food groups at every meal is essential for weight-loss success because you are allowing your body to balance blood sugar and weight-related hormones. Proper ratios will also spark thermogenesis in the body. Use a food scale when preparing meals in the home to “check” yourself. Under eating can cause your metabolism and fat burning factors to slow—so make sure you are getting enough!

Eat frequently, eat balanced portions and eat everything on your plate! These simple rules are essential to helping ensure you lose your weight and lose it all! Your Diet Center Counselor will be glad to help with meal planning and an eating schedule to maximize your personal metabolism and lifestyle needs. Let’s do it together!

Beat Liquid Calories: Revamp Your Coffee Order to Stay on Track

Did you know a Venti white chocolate mocha from Starbucks has 580 calories and 22 grams of fat? Or that a tall espresso only has 10 calories? Your daily coffee habit can have a major impact on your overall calorie intake. But you don’t have to give up your daily pick-me-up in order to keep your weight loss goals on track. Below are some easy tips to put a healthier spin on your morning coffee.

Lower the Volume

The easiest way to drink less calories is to cut the volume. Brew your coffee stronger at home so one cup with a little plan approved dairy, rice or almond milk does the same job as three cups flavored with high-sugar creamer substitutes. Stick to the smallest option at cafés instead of the giant one that won’t fit in your car’s cup holder. Espresso has higher caffeine by volume than drip coffee so if you enjoy the flavor consider switching from multiple cups of drip to a single macchiato or Americano to kick off the day.  Starbucks is definitely on program and a tall Skinny Latte in Mocha, Caramel, Cinnamon or Vanilla can be a great exchange for your dairy.

Up the Quality

When coffee is bitter or watery many people are tempted to add sugar and high fat dairy or creamer products to improve the flavor. Just like a fresh piece of fish only needs a few herbs and lemons to be incredibly flavorful, high-quality coffee only needs a splash or dash of add-ins to make your morning brighter. Skip the pre-ground grocery store brands that are often stale by the time they hit the shelves. Instead buy fresh-roasted whole beans, store them properly and grind them right before brewing to release the best flavor.

Skip the Specials

Between seasonal promotions and rows of treats, impulse buys in a coffee shop can quickly derail your nutrition plan for the day. Before meeting a friend or stepping out with a co-worker think about what your healthiest option is for the café or eat a healthy snack or Gold Protein before you go. While a Pumpkin Spice Latte may sound incredible on cooler weather day, it is packed with sugar and fat! Opt for a flavorful hot-spiced tea instead. Diet Center’s Chocolate Pudding/Shake and Vanilla Pudding Shake mixes make great substitutes for high fat, high-sugar creamers and are packed with protein. Just add them to your coffee.

Consider Alternatives

Consider switching from coffee altogether with tea or hot water with lemon. We also recommend our flavorful Water Enhancer energy drink that combines powerful antioxidants with key vitamins and nutrients to fight fatigue with natural metabolic enhancers.

By learning to enjoy the real taste and flavor of high-quality coffee or finding an alternative to your morning routine, you give yourself freedom from empty calories. All without sacrificing the comfort and motivation you receive from your daily pick-me-up.

Easy Meal Planning for Busy People

Meal planning doesn’t have to be a daunting task, the reality is that planning ahead can be fun and is super important to achieving success on your Diet Center Program. The key to success is identifying and implementing a meal-planning strategy that works best for you. A goal with a plan always equals results.

Some people plan a month in advance, prepare meals in bulk and freeze labeled containers of pre-made lunch and dinner entrees. We like to call this the Sam’s Club or Costco method. Others choose to shop for fresh ingredients and prepare meals daily. What works for one person may not work for another; the goal is to find a personal meal-planning strategy that is the easiest for you. You will save time, money and stress by planning your meals in advance. Going into your week prepared helps you to perform the best on your Diet Center program. This also includes researching restaurants prior to visiting them to have your success plan laid out. You can enjoy foods you love and still lose weight each week!

Scan Recipes

Variety is the spice of life and key to your success. We want you to enjoy an assortment of varied, delicious food from all your favorite food groups so that you do not become bored or discouraged by eating the same food day in and day out. The Diet Center Program focuses on real food, allowing clients to integrate tons of different fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, starches and fats into their meal plans. Browse our Facebook Page (Diet Center Midsouth) and Recipe Books at the center to find recipes that you will love like Spinach Lasagne, Flatbread Pizza, Nachos, Stuffed Peppers, Creamy Chicken Alfredo, Key Lime Pie and many more!

Scout Sales

Many people stick to a grocery budget and are constantly on the lookout for discounts and coupons for food purchases. Check your local grocer’s website as well as coupon apps like Ibotta, where you can receive money back on the purchase of healthy items like milk, eggs, produce and more! Living and eating healthy can be very economical if you plan ahead and strategize a coupon-clipping tactic. Have fun!

Make a Menu and Grocery List

When you plan your menu for the week, you will be setting yourself up for weight loss success. Complete your food journal for the week and shop for the necessary ingredients to prepare all of your meals. This ensures you are staying accountable to your food plan and not placing extraneous items into your grocery cart. Your Diet Center Counselor will be glad to assist with meal planning and prep ideas.

Make Extra

Double your recipes at dinner and you will have enough to take for lunch the next day or have leftovers for dinner on a busy night. If you have a tried-and-true recipe, you can even triple or quadruple it and freeze enough for a week’s worth of healthy meals for the whole family!

Organize Your Refrigerator (And Freezer!)

Organize the items in your refrigerator so you know exactly where everything is when preparing meals. Having your refrigerator organized and having healthy snacks at your fingertips makes it easy to avoid unhealthy snacks and allows you to concentrate on mindful eating.

Cook Perishable Items First

If you have purchased perishable items prepare them early in the week to avoid wasting food. Incorporate additional raw vegetables as snacks or make a medley of fruit for breakfast to keep these items from spoiling.

On-the-Go Meals and Snacks

If your weeks are busy with meetings, travel, kids’ sports or social activities, consider meals you and your family can grab on the go. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and skipping it will stall your weight-loss. Make healthy grab-and-go items ahead of the time, like egg muffins or mason jar salads. Have Diet Center snacks on hand for convenient high-protein smoothies, delicious bars or savory snacks. If you are planning a vacation or traveling for work, stock up on meal replacements to have easy to prepare high-protein meals with you wherever you go!

Set it and Forget It

Consider purchasing or (wiping the dust off) a slow cooker or crockpot. Toss your favorite healthy ingredients inside in the morning, leave it all day and come home to the enticing aroma of a delicious home-cooked meal.

Remember Your Seven Little P’s

Prior Proper Planning, Preparing and Packing Promotes Progress!

Creating and sticking to a meal-planning strategy will not only help alleviate stress, it will save you time and money, set you up for optimal weight loss results as well as teach you healthier habits for long term success. On your next Success visit into the center, chat with your Diet Center Counselor for even more ideas.

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