Raise your hand if you splurged on your diet last week? {~Lesli's hand is going up...maybe more than once.~} I can confirm to all of you that I ate a donut last week for the first time in years and it was like eating a glazed topped blessing from heaven. I can also confirm that I felt ~ZERO~ guilt in my indulgence.
However, a little indulgence here and another indulgence there will eventually add up to more than a little gain on the scale & a set back in your hard work.
I recently came across an article that listed foods that help you stick to your plan and cut out binges. I know, I know, we've ALL seen these lists a million times, but these things WORK! Here are the products that I prefer!
Eggs: They’re a great source of hunger-quelling protein (about 6 g per egg), plus a recent study found that women following a low-fat diet who ate 2 eggs for breakfast at least 5 days a week lost 65% more weight and averaged an 83% greater reduction in waist circumference. Not a fan? Low-fat yogurt is a great source of (breakfast-happy) protein.
{If you follow me on TWITTER, you know how I love an Egg sandwich for breakfast! This is my favorite way to get in carbs & protein for breakfast. Real eggs don't have many calories either, so don't feel bad splurge on the real thing if you're not into the beaters!}Almonds: These tasty nuts contain the healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, good-for-you fats that keep your appetite sated for hours. Studies back this up—one found that after 6 months, dieters whose eating plan included almonds lost 63% more weight, lost 50% more body fat, and shrunk their waistlines 55% more than those on a high-carb diet. They’re not exactly calorie free, so watch portions (1 ounce—or 28 nuts—is about 170 calories).
{Almonds are my favorite filler snack. I like to keep a bag in my purse so I can tide myself over or when I don't have my other snacks (Luna Bars, fruit, etc) readily available. LOVE the kick of the wasabi soy almonds, YUM!}Avocados: How do I love these? In many many ways, but a few slices with a little lime juice is rich, satisfying, and loaded with so many important nutrients, including those healthy monounsaturated fats, plus vitamins and minerals like potassium and folate. No, they’re not calorie free, but a few slices have between 50 and 75 calories and will make any salad or sandwich SO much more satisfying (you can even throw avocado in a smoothie, which is common in Thai food).
{DO NOT be afraid of Avocados! They are your friend! What better way to enjoy them than to marry them with onions, tomatoes, lime & salt. How many of you can eat guac with a spoon? GUILTY!}Apples: I’m going to resist the urge to write anything about absentee doctors and regular apple consumption, but needless to say, eating one or two of these crunchy, portable fruits really can benefit your waistline: One study found that subjects who ate one apple before every meal lost 40% more weight than those who didn’t. Plus, they’re low in calories—about 65 for one that’s medium-size.
{My favorite apples are Gala Apples & my least favorite are green apples, but oddly enough, I eat them in a fruit cup every day.}Oatmeal: This is the food weight loss dreams are made of. It contains high amounts of soluble fiber, which slows digestion and keeps you full for hours, and one study found that subjects who ate oatmeal for breakfast every day and also walked an average of 15 to 30 minutes daily lost about 10 pounds in 12 weeks.
{I've been loving Village Farms Whole Grain oatmeal for a long time & my favorite is the blueberry kind! I don't care that it's 90+ degrees I love that oatmeal sticks to my bones and keeps me full}
Peanut butter: Despite the name, peanuts are actually a legume, not a nut, but they’re still high in those craving-quashing monounsaturated fats, and research has found that dieters who snack on peanuts or peanut butter lose more weight than those who don’t. My advice is to stick with the natural kind because it’s lower in added sugars—and spread some on those apple slices next time you get the 4 pm munchies.
{Naturally More peanut butter is delicious & I've been eating it on english muffins. Honestly, I've been SHOCKED at how it tides me over MUCH longer than I'm used to.}Information taken from: Binge-proof your diet: 6 Foods that keep you full and satisfied partner by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION
