Diets, diets, diets. That’s all we hear about in the news in the media and online. How does Jennifer Lopez keep her figure? What are Thalia’s diet secrets?
Just take a minute to think about it though. What are you eating and how are you going about your day-to-day? Do you eat sensibly? Do you stop eating when you’re full? Are you eating enough vegetables and fruits? Do you drink water? Are you active? Answering these questions may just help you come to grips with what you’re not doing and help you lose a few pounds.
However, it is difficult to make these self realizations and change your lifestyle. We know that. So we’re here to help you look at life without the diet goggles and show you that you can take off a few pounds without starving yourself, which, by the way, makes you gain weight.
First, keep this in mind: It takes 20 days to make or break a habit. With that being said, get on the healthy track and make your habits good ones.
Eat slowly: This is hard for those of us with two jobs, three kids and a house to clean. Regardless, take time to enjoy your food and eat it slowly. This has been a diet secret for year, but how many of us practice it? Try to set a timer for 20 minutes and eat your food past that amount of time. That’s how much you should slow down.
Sleep More: Another thing that’s really hard to do, but if you put your mind to it and get your life in order before going the morning, you can get to bed earlier. We’ve mentioned this in previous articles found on LatinoDr.org. When you sleep, your body recuperates and regenerates. Your body also needs fat to sleep and meanwhile, you’re not eating but burning away calories. Don’t sleep your life away, though!
Eat More Soups: Eating and drinking warm liquids helps you feel fuller. Soups, though, allow for your food to cook by poaching, which is healthier than frying or using anything else to cook it on a pan like butter or oils. Making soups and stews are quite easy and enjoyable especially during the winter time. Latinos eat caldos like it’s their job. Caldo de pollo, de res, fideo. It’s a cultural staple. Keep it up in your own home and add vegetables and herbs. Be careful not to use too much salt though. And watch it when you’re eating soups in restaurants and out of cans. They add a lot of salt for flavor.
Keep Those Skinny Jeans: We all used to hear it growing up: “One day, I’m going to fit into those jeans from when I was 18!” Mami and tia were convinced that they were going to slim down and so should you! Don’t ditch all the skinny clothes you have lined up in the closet. Keep something that’s at your goal size and aim to get back there. If you don’t get all the way there, at least you’ll say you tried and lose a few pounds anyway.
