That Health Rules

I often find a lot of my patients having second thoughts when they see a meal plan… and when you ask them the next visit… it’s almost totally ignored.  The trick that often works is to simplify a regimen whether you are talking about a diabetic meal plan or for weight loss.  Choices should be better with more options to be free to choose and change.

When I see a diabetic patient or any patient that I deemed prediabetetic or at risk to become one become he or she is obese, than I usually challenge them to make a simple meal plan that they can follow. 

MY simple rules are:

• Stop once you fell full! 

• Eat at a specific time and eat even if you’re not hungry. The main reason we recommend eating in between for snacks is so that you wont feel hungry before lunch or dinner then as a result you are more prepared to be disciplined enough to eat the right kind and the right amount.

• Make sure to eat breakfast and dont attempt to lose weight by eating one meal a day only!  This attempt will backfire and make you even more obese.

• Use a small plate and fill it up with rice, meat or fish, vegetables and a fruit. Once you have finished the meal…then stop because for sure you are already full!  Don’t grab for something else because it’s obviously out of the urge to eat more.  Stand up and leave the dining table AT ONCE!

• Make sure to eat snacks in between to prevent you from becoming hungry in between.

• If you still feel hungry after the meal, grab for more vegetables or additional half of an apple.

• Drink lots of water before each meal and afterwards

• EAT SLOWLY… enjoy the taste of each bite!

• It is usually the first and the last bite that we can remember.  So if you want to eat chocolate: eat 1 bite before the start of the meal…then eat a bite of the cake after the meal!  Is this a compromise or what!

• Some free foods ( with less than 5 gms of carb)that you can enjoy without adding much calories include: Bouillon or broth, sugar free 3 in 1 Coffee or tea, Diet soft drinks,  Sugar-free hard candy or Jell-O.  But make sure you spread out free foods throughout the day and not eat them in one sitting.

• Obviously however…I want my patients to refrain from sugary beverages like ice tea, juices and soda drinks.

There you go… I havent specified what and how much to eat or how many grams or ounces of meat etc.  What’s important is: you have a cup of rice, a serving or two of meat ( lean preferably or even white meat), 2 cups of vegetables and a fruit!  It’s your choice of what kind!

If you dont follow a meal plan because it’s complicated enough…hope you can remember my simple rules! It’s may not be perfect or ideal but better than none … and works for me!

Do You AGREE?

Rules Need To Be Simple To Be Followed….

Read My Other Related Posts:

• An Interesting Tip To Curb Consumption
• Meal Replacement : Another Way To Lose Weight
• The Food Diary: How It Can Help One Lose Weight
• The Benefit of Small Frequent Feedings

This entry was posted on March 12, 2007 at 8:21 am and is filed under General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Nutrition Health Tips, The Diabetes Facts, Weight Loss Tips.