Eat Your Way Slim: How to Get Your Meals to Melt Calories for You

Whole grains are one of the diet tricks Hollywood stars use to stay slim. They work on multiple levels, keeping you healthy at the same time as you lose weight.

The secret of whole grains is that they fill you up. Eating a dinner with whole grains will satisfy you for longer than a meal of processed foods will. That means you will wait longer before you eat again.

In addition to the filling-factor, whole grains are great for your heart health. They’ve been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and heart disease. They’re a miracle food!

But, how do they taste? Great! Some of the best homestyle dishes in the world have traditionally included whole grains. Substitute whole grain pastas, breads, and rice in your favorite dishes. You’ll feel fuller for longer, lose weight, and even live longer! What a deal.

Sure, eating vegetables is an obvious weight loss technique. But the important part of this that a lot of us miss is making the vegetables we eat taste great.

We are much more likely to stick to a lifestyle change if it’s something we can live with. How better to do that than to make eating your vegetables enjoyable?

Of course, you’re probably thinking that the best way to make vegetables taste good is to make them unhealthy, like adding butter or frying them. Sure, that makes them tasty—but what if they could taste great AND make you feel good from the inside out?

Here are some ways that you can make vegetables totally irresistible:

• Cook them in rich liquids. A great, full-bodied tomato sauce or a broth will give your dishes much more flavor and even infuse them with some extra vitamins and nutrients.

• Cook them for longer. Although short cooking times keep more nutrients in your vegetables, preparations like slow roasting, stewing, or braising can take a vegetable from decent to delicious. It’s okay to mix it up sometimes! And don’t worry, they’re still very good for you.

• Add spices and seasoning. It seems obvious, sure. But, sometimes, when we are used to eating fattier foods, we don’t think as much about the world of flavors that are available to us. Spice-rich dishes like curry, ragout, or chili can transform regular vegetables into really special meals.

• Play with your food! Find flavors that you love and learn to use them. Find new recipes and make up your own. Remember, you will stick to your healthy lifestyle longer if it also tastes great!

I know you’re thinking, “She’s out of her mind!” Bear with me here. It makes a lot of sense when you think it through.

One of the biggest problems with fad diets is that they focus on ELIMINATION. They tell you that if you don’t eat this or that food group ever again, you can be slim.

There’s a reason that doesn’t work. People like variety. We like to eat a spectrum of foods. More importantly for most of us, we don’t like to be told NOT to do something. In fact, for me, that’s the surest way to make me want something!

Elimination diets DON’T work because they go against our natural programming. The reason we desire a large variety of foods is because they each offer us things we need to stay healthy. Our caveman brains will never stop wanting things like fats and sugars, whether they’re forbidden or not. It’s normal.

Here’s the real trick: eat fats and sugars but do it the right way. That way, you can cut the cravings without losing track of your healthy lifestyle.

Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, nuts, and fish, are not only delicious, but they’ve also been proven to improve health and help you live longer. As an added bonus, eating them will curb your (unavoidable) fat cravings.

Sugars aren’t so good for us, but it’s natural to crave them. They taste delicious and they give us a little bit of joy. So, don’t try to get rid of them TOTALLY. Focus instead on eating healthier sugars. Unrefined and unprocessed sugars are better for our bodies than white sugar. Honey, agave, and other natural sweeteners make things sweet and still remain pretty good for you.

The key with fats and sugars is to practice smart moderation. Try to eliminate them altogether and you’re doomed for failure. Leave a little room in any diet for the occasional treat, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it.