Healthy Dieting - Losing Weight for Women

Diet. The dreaded "D" word. No wonder it's a four-letter word. We've all done it. We've failed, and went back to punishing ourselves all over again. Ladies, I'm just going to tell it to you straight. Dieting DOES NOT work. I don't care who says it does, it does not. I have learned to use the word "diet" in its proper context: the way people eat. My diet consists of whatever I like, but in sensible portions. Why deny yourself the things you enjoy? It leads to a huge binge and that is definitely not what we want to do.

Why do we deny ourselves the things we like?

I can't see just sitting around eating fruits and vegetables all the time to lose weight unless that is what you really like to eat. I grew up eating fried foods, meats, potatoes, and way too much junk. I stayed fit with all of the exercise I got in my younger years. As time progressed, I could not manage my weight as well. I was eating less junk food, in fact, I was denying myself many of the things I enjoyed. I still gained weight. After learning the true nature of my body and how to maintain it, I realized I can eat the food I enjoy, but I have to exercise.

Now there's a time limit to when it's safe to eat?

How many of us have heard, "do not eat after 8 PM." ? I have heard that so many times. This statement is ignorant. What difference does it make what time we eat? A calorie is a calorie no matter what time we ingest it. This rule does not work for my family. My husband works later and if we want to eat as a family a few times per week, we must wait until 8 or after. The kids eat earlier so they can go to bed on time, but I do wait occasionally until my husband gets home.

What REALLY works

Here is what we all need to do and I can tell you from experience, it works just fine. Eat breakfast. Find something healthy to eat. Eggs are very high in protein. Eat 1-2 in the morning poached or hard-boiled. With that, have a piece of wheat toast with a small pat of butter. Have a smoothie made from low fat yogurt and frozen berries. If you fuel your body in the morning, you will eat less during the day. It's true! The rest of the day, just make a few changes to the things you like. Wheat bread tastes just as yummy on a sandwich as white bread. Try it. Instead of slathering your sandwich with mayo, add a smaller amount. Snack on nuts or some light popcorn. If you like ice cream, have it. Either eat smaller amounts of the premium or have a normal portion of the sugar free variety. I tried it. It really is good. If you love macaroni and cheese, by all means, have it. Just try not to overload your plate with it. I even use smaller plates sometimes so it looks like I have a full plate, but I'm eating about 50-60% of what I used to. Enjoy your meals and try not to rush. Chew each bite and drink plenty of water. I also enjoy unsweetened tea, but if I am in the mood for sweetened, I go for it.

Eating right doesn't have to mean starving yourself. A combination of this and 30-60 minutes of exercise three times per week will give great results. If you don't have a gym nearby or cannot afford one, go walk. Don't let your neighborhood be an excuse. If you hate your neighborhood, drive to another one, park your car, and get out there. No excuses, ladies! You can do it.