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Smart eating

How to eat well, keep your weight low, and stay young

It is clear that traditional dieting is not working: obesity is growing as a global problem and the so-called diets are useless unless they are part of a lifestyle change. In other words, smart eating may be the secret weapon in our fight against obesity. Here are a few things that you can try.

Eat soup or salad before the meal: There are studies that show that people who eat a salad with a healthy dressing or a light soup (avoid the creamy stuff) eat less calories than those who do not do so.

Eat veggies: They are packed with nutrients, very low in calories, and are filling by nature. There are many ways to prepare your veggies. Italian, Indian, Thai, and other ethnic cuisines have great vegetarian dishes with flavor. Avoid overcooking the vegetables to preserve their nutritional value. If you eat veggies, you will eat less of other more calorie rich foods and you will have fewer instances of constipation. (Related: Healthy vegetarian diet)

Photo of grilled fish on dinner plate. Drink water: According to dozens of studies many a times when we feel hungry, we are actually thirsty. Drink at least 8 glasses of every day and try to stay hydrated at all times, particularly on warm days or even on cold days if you are in a heated building or car. If you drink more water, you will also drink less calories (don’t drink soda or juices as your source of water).

Use smaller dishes: The human tendency is to fill the dish when serving. So the bigger the dish, the more you will eat. There are studies proving that this is the case.

Do not put the food in large serving bowls at the table: If you sit at the table while others are still eating, even without thinking if food is in front of you, you may just serve one more serving. If the food is not in front of you, the possibility of an extra serving is smaller.

Eat slowly: If you eat slowly, chewing well each bite, you are giving time to your stomach to tell the brain that it is full. It can take up to 20 minutes for the stomach to make that judgment and communicate it to the brain.

Use spices instead of fat for flavor: Fat, sugar, spices, and herbs are the traditional ways to flavor foods. In most cases, however, if you use more spices and herbs, you can use less fat without sacrificing flavor. (Related: How to cut fat and How to cut sugar)

Eat at home, homemade foods: Processed foods from the supermarket and restaurant-cooked foods are rich in fats and sodium and often cooked with poor quality ingredients (they are expensive too). You can create your own simple recipes and prepare healthy foods. Not only will you save a lot more money, you will have better health. If you do not have time to cook after a busy day at work, try to cook during the weekend and freeze it.