Obesity can lead to a wide range of health issues and diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. Taking steps to control weight can help prevent these problems and improve overall health.
It is important to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Choosing foods low in calories and estimating portions is also important.
Eat Less Carbohydrates
Many people who want to control their weight try to limit carbohydrate foods like sugary drinks, candy and baked goods. Carbohydrates are a primary source of energy, but they can cause your body to store extra energy as fat when you eat too many of them. Eating fewer carbohydrates can aid in weight loss, but you should focus on the quality of your carbs, not just their quantity.
The best sources of carbohydrates are complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. You should also avoid foods that contain refined or processed sugars such as granola bars, canned fruit, sugary soda and other packaged snack foods. If you do eat these foods, be sure to read the nutrition label to determine how many calories are in each serving. In addition, you should use a food tracker to monitor your daily carb intake. This will help you eat less while still meeting your nutritional needs.
Avoid Sugary Snacks
If you want to control your weight, limit sugary snacks. Liquid sugar calories are especially hard on your waistline. Choose whole foods with less sugar and more fiber to keep you feeling full between meals.
Stay away from obvious sources of added sugar like cookies, cakes and sugar-sweetened drinks. But also watch out for the hidden sugars in many canned fruits, granola bars, processed frozen foods and salad dressings. Read the nutrition labels on packaged foods to see how much added sugar they contain. You’ll find it listed under the total sugars on the Nutrition Facts label.
If you eat canned fruit, choose those that are preserved in juice rather than syrup. Also look for low-added sugar varieties of canned fruits and jams.
Eat a Healthy Snack After Dinner
Many people eat after dinner to satisfy hunger or cravings or as a reward for eating well. If you want to eat after dinner, choose a healthy snack. Some good choices include air-popped popcorn, plain yogurt and granola bars that don’t contain sugar, vegetable sticks with dip, peanuts or sunflower seeds and dried fruit such as dates or bunna hua chana (roasted bengalise). Avoid anything fried because it can cause heartburn when you lie down soon afterward. Fats can also slow digestion and make you feel stuffed. Choose a low-fat snack like half a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread because turkey is high in the amino acid tryptophan, which works with the sleep-promoting chemical melatonin.
Drink Herbal Tea
Herbal teas can offer a variety of unique health benefits. For example, ginger tea is a great anti-nausea remedy, and it contains the anti-inflammatory compound gingerol, which can help reduce bloating and gas.
The calming ritual of sipping a cup of herbal tea may also reduce stress and improve mood, which can in turn promote healthy eating habits. However, there is no reliable evidence that herbal teas and their ingredients aid weight loss.
Unlike traditional caffeine-containing tea and coffee, herbal teas are naturally low in calories and contain many beneficial plant compounds. For example, rooibos tea has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, two processes that can contribute to fat accumulation in the body. There are a variety of herbal teas to try, including herbal blends with ripe fruits and spices or flowers, and single-ingredient infusions like peppermint, chamomile, or African redbush. These teas are caffeine free and a tasty alternative to sugar-sweetened drinks.