Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
Everybody is different. What works for your friend might not
work for you, or might work better for you. Therefore, these
suggestions for shopping for weight loss are presented as helps,
and I hope you will find something of use to you. With just a
little thought and creativity, you should be able to come up
with several more tips yourself.
1. Always use a list when you shop, and stick to it. Almost any
other food item you put in the buggy will be something that does
NOT fit in to your weight loss plan.
2. Plan ahead. Decide what your meals are going to be, and what
ingredients you will need. Include portion sizes in this
planning. If you just buy a pack of steaks, you will probably
cook all those steaks at once and there is a chance they may be
eaten all at once. Planning your meals will help you prepare
your shopping list. Plan also for meals such as lunches you
carry to work.
3. Take someone with you who you can trust to be on your side.
By "on your side", I mean, of course, someone who understands
and supports your weight loss goals. While this person should be
aware of what you are trying to accomplish, YOU must understand
that they ARE trying to help you, and YOU must give them
permission to express their honest thoughts about purchases you
are making...especially if you are deviating from your list.
4. Have this trusted friend or family member HELP you draw up
your shopping list.
5. Always eat before shopping. It is a fact that shopping when
hungry increases your tendency to put extra items in your
shopping cart.
6. Learn to read the labels. Almost every food you buy has a
label outlining nutritional content and levels. Knowledge of
nutritional needs is important, but does not need to be
daunting. Basic information is easy to obtain.
7. Avoid convenience foods. Most have additional calories, fats,
or carbohydrates. Although they may taste great, this is often a
direct result of those very attributes.
8. Plan PREPARED meals. Cook from scratch. Not only will you
probably enjoy the meals more, but having to prepare a meal
helps prevent you from indulging yourself with a quick and easy
snack or meal.
9. Avoid buying "empty" foods. These are foods such as chips,
cookies, or candy. An apple may have as many calories as a piece
of candy, but it contains a much higher level of nutrition, and
provides factors such as fiber, for example.
10. Buy foods you really like. Eating in a healthy manner does
NOT have to be a boring or unrewarding experience. Types of
meals enjoyed in Japan, for example, can be tasty and a
different and inviting experience, but they can also be very
good for you. Again, be aware of portion sizes. Just because it
is "good for you" doesn't mean you ought to go back for seconds
or thirds.
There you are, 10 hints for shopping for weight loss. Since
portion sizes was mentioned twice, let me leave you with this
thought. Most Americans eat portions much larger than
recommended sizes. A discussion of portion size is more than can
be incorporated into this small article. However, people in
France tend to eat very rich foods yet do not have the obesity
problems found in America. People in Japan who eat a traditional
Japanese diet tend not to have an obesity problem such as is
found in America. As diverse as these two cultures and their
diet are, a common factor is portion size. They typically eat
much smaller portions than Americans.
About the author:
The author's interest in fitness and health began in 1970 when
he first read Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". Find more weight
loss tips at http://nodiet4me.com . You can find additional
articles on fitness, health, and weight loss at
http://nodiet4me.blogspot.com .
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