How to Eat Healthier to Lose Weight

Exercising is a huge part of staying healthy and losing weight, but its only half of the battle. The other half is what you eat, and eating healthy really isn't as hard as it sounds. You don't need to stop eating, you don't even need to resist snacks. The trick is to eat better food and enough of it to just be full. What I have come up with is 8 basic steps to start eating healthier, and a bunch of tips to help you stick to them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST. Eating starts your metabolism and when you start your metabolism earlier you burn more calories during the day. Which makes even walking around school/work more effective exercise.
2. EAT, BUT DON'T OVEREAT. Its better to eat a few small meals a day then to only eat once or twice and eat a lot, because it keeps your metabolism going. You really should try to eat whenever you're hungry, which also means not eating if you aren't hungry. You should stop eating as soon as you start to feel full, paying attention to when you feel full will help you find yourself eating much healthier portions at meals.
3. DON'T DRINK SODA. It is so bad for you, an average can of soda has about as much sugar as a slice of chocolate cake with frosting, plus some of the chemicals in soda actually take the good nutrients that you are eating away from your body. You should also try to stay away from juices that have high fructose corn syrup as one of the first few ingredients, they are also loaded with sugar.
4. DO DRINK MILK. I am not a big fan of milk, but it has been shown that getting enough calcium (recommended 3 servings of dairy a day) can really help you slim down. I always try to include it even if its just with a cup of yogurt or a bowl of cereal. People say to drink skim milk, but even 1% or 2% is much lower in fat then whole milk.
5. TRY TO EAT A FRUIT OR VEGGIE WITH EVERY MEAL. Vegetables are a great side dish, they are awesome for helping you lose weight, they're good for you, and if you have something healthy on your plate to eat you are more likely to get full before you go for a second helping of carbs. Also eating an apple beforehand has been proven to help you eat less during your meals.
6. IF YOU ARE GOING TO EXERCISE YOU NEED THE RIGHT KIND OF CALORIES. Lean proteins give you a short burst of sustainable energy, the kind of energy you need to burn calories fast and efficiently when you work out, which leads to burning fat. Complex carbohydrates (pastas, breads, nuts, NOT sugars) will give you a longer lasting, steady energy which is better for activities that last all day. Without the right type of stored energy from the things you eat you will get tired to easily, and your exercise won't be nearly as efficient as it should be.
7. EAT HEALTHY SNACKS. Fruit is always a good choice, cheeses and yogurt are also really good because they have protein and calcium. Cereal is an awesome snack, there are some really tasty ones that are made with whole grains or are high in fiber and vitamins. Another good snack is baked tortilla chips and salsa, the baked ones have less fat and you'd be surprised at how little calories are in salsa per serving, plus its basically all vegetables. Trying to pair half your normal serving of salty carb snack with a fruit, vegetable, dairy, or protein is a good way to get something healthy and curb cravings because you won't feel deprived.
8. TRY TO STICK TO THINGS THAT ARE NATURAL. I'm not necessarily saying go organic, because that can get really expensive and a little over the top. But the more you stay away from foods with a lot of high fructose corn syrup and overly processed packaged foods the better off you are. I try to always opt for a more fresh alternative, like try frozen veggies instead of canned ones or cook your own burger instead of going for fast food.

Tips & Warnings

• When you starve yourself your body adjusts to not eating as much and slows your metabolism, which makes you burn less calories. Also instinctively your body goes into a fat-storing mode when you stop eating because it thinks that you don't have access to food (ie. like a famine) so it tries to store up as much energy as it can from the little it has.
• One way to tell when you are really full is to put your fork down inbetween bites. Wait until you are done chewing before you take another bite. When you slow down and pay more attention to the food you are more likely to be able to feel when you are full. If you still can't tell close your eyes when you eat. It feels stupid at first, but you will be surprised at how much less you feel you can eat.
• Replacing soda with water might be extreme for some people, although it is also a lot better for you. Real fruit juice is another good substitute. If you still need carbonation try flavored seltzer water, or mixing seltzer with juice to make a much healthier version of a soda.
• When eating a meal you should always start with the veggies, then eat the proteins, and finish with the carbs. This helps you eat more of the things that are better for you, and it is a very good tip if the veggies are your least favorite because by saving the best for last will leave a better taste in your mouth.
• A "calorie" is actually a measurement of energy. The amount of calories in a food is the amount of potential energy it gives to you, the energy that we don't use is what turns to fat.
• If you are going to work out, stay hydrated all day. You will be more likely to cramp up if you are dehydrated, once you get a cramp its too late to get hydrated, so you should be drinking water throughout day before you work out.
• For the things you crave there are a few healthier substitutions: Try frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, or dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate and you'll skip out on a lot of the fat. I am a huge candy addict, so things like slimfast or special k snack bars are really good for my chocolate cravings (there are a lot of other brands, not all of them taste great but if you try a few you'll find one that you like). Bake your own choclate chip cookies. use the recipe on the back of the chip bag but cut the butter in half and use margarine instead, is a good alternative to the fat and chemicals in packaged cookies. You can also keep the dough in the fridge for a while and only make one or two at a time so you don't over eat. If you really need to have something bad for you, just have it in moderation.
• This is not a guaranteed weight loss program, everyone's body works differently. But I am constantly reading and watching shows on how to stay healthy and these are some tips I've picked up that have really helped me out.