Maria Thomas knows that you dont need to read another article that tells you the best way to stay healthy is to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, cut down on fats, exercise and get a good nights sleep.
She knows what its like to crave carb-laden comfort in the middle of a busy day or to reach for that baguette and cheese to tide you over until dinner is ready. She laughs when someone says that five almonds make a great snack, knowing full well that she wont want to stop at five.
When were hungry, willpower goes out the window, says the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»dietician whos contributed to The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp and Village on a Diet. The last thing we want to do is think about what were going to make.
So what advice would she give to all those people who already know what the right thing to do/eat is but need some help putting it into practice.
One trick is to trick yourself. She loves high-fat cheese but what she does is mix it up with a low-fat version so she still gets the taste but there are fewer calories in each bite.
Another food she mixes up is cereal. Shell take, for instance, some Cheerios and add some high-fibre cereal. The more fibre in food, the longer it takes for our stomach to process, the longer we feel full.
Popcorn is a low-calorie snack and when it comes to munching on (handfuls) of nuts, she suggests buying nuts that are in the shell. That way it takes more time to eat them.
We tend to switch to what is easy as our default but there are foods that are nutritious as well as easy. Try new snacks, such as edamame, or, if you dont like getting your hands sticky by peeling an orange, get grapes instead.
Educate yourself by reading the food labels; get to know which ones pack in the most calories or sodium or fat and go for the less-laden brands. But also make sure you check the portion sizes when youre making brand comparisons. You want to make sure youre comparing apples with apples.
Rule number one, however, is classic advice that cant be repeated enough never go into a grocery store when youre hungry. Youll shop with your eyes, she says, and be more tempted to go for the quick jolt of calories.
Maria Thomas is the owner of Vancouver-based Urban Nutrition. She is also an expert member of the Presidents Choice Blue Menu panel.
