Once you’ve got your diet personality type figured out according to The Biggest Loser trainer Jen Widerstrom’s new book, Diet Right for Your Personality Type (Harmony Books, 2017), incorporate these weight loss tips to improve your overall eating habits.
1. Eat more mindfully. Don’t just zone out and gobble your dinner in front of the TV or your laptop. Sit at a table and consciously take note of what you’re eating and how it tastes to notice hunger cues, improve digestion, and enjoy your meal more.
2. Stick to one-ingredient foods. Keep your foods simple. That means choosing more whole foods like sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples over processed fare like frozen dinners. The cleaner you eat, the easier it will be to find success.
3. Eat better fat-burning fuel combos. “Your body works on two fuel tanks: carb-protein and fat-protein,” says Widerstrom. Choose fat-protein combos, which help muscle growth and burn fat. “Having a fat-carb meal like avocado toast is terrible for training your body to burn fat,” because carbs usually get used first, so then the fat is stored, she adds.
4. Avoid portion distortion. “You don’t have to obsess over portions, but don’t ignore them, either,” she says. See your plate as a pie chart: Roughly 70% of the food should come from the earth (veggies, fruits, seeds) and 30% from animal sources.
5. Fill up with fiber. It’s key for helping you feel fuller longer, as well as moving food through your digestive track. You need about 20 to 35 grams a day, which you can easily get from beans, lentils, quinoa, spinach, almonds, squash, and flaxseed.
