6 Slim-Down Secrets From Leading Nutritionists
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Do you ever wonder how nutrition experts stay slim or if they ever struggle with their weight? Do they have any insider tricks of the trade that could help you shed a few pounds? Yes, they do. Read on to see 6 skinny secrets of top nutritionists.
1. Spice Up a Plant-Based Diet (or Meal)
“A well-planned, plant-based diet is naturally high in fiber, whole grains, lean protein from beans and legumes, colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. It fills you up in a good way,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDE, owner of a private practice and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Sheth recommends people be creative with herbs and spices to amp up the flavor profile. “Start small. Try substituting beans, lentils or tofu in place of your meat or other animal proteins,” suggests Sheth.
Related: 10 Surprising Flat-Belly Foods
2. Set Your Taste Buds to Less Salt
“By limiting the amount of salty foods I consume and not adding salt when I’m cooking, this helps me decrease cravings for salt while retaining less fluid and avoiding bloating,” says Lori Zanini, RD, CDE, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. According to Zanini, you can help train your taste buds to notice if you bite into a food with too much sodium. “Instead of simply eliminating salt, I always add more flavor,” adds Zanini.
3. Add Almond Butter to Your Oatmeal
“Add a tablespoon of almond butter into your hot bowl of oatmeal. Almond butter supplies a protein punch along with healthy fats to keep you feeling full and satisfied, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, M.A., RDN, CDN, author of “Read It Before You Eat It” and New York-based nutrition expert. No time to cook oatmeal at home? “Leave a jar of almond butter and packets of instant oatmeal in your desk drawer,” suggests Taub-Dix.
Related: 15 Foods That Help You Peel Off the Pounds
4. Drink Water With Your Meal
Drinking more water with meals can have slimming results. “I particularly love to focus on drinking 16 ounces of water with each meal. It allows you to feel even more satisfied just because of the increased volume effect it has in your stomach,” says Jim White, RD, ACSM CPT, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios.
5. Avoid Tempting Situations
“I skip the sweets aisle at markets and drugstores, walk right by the kettle corn at the farmers market,” says Caroline Kaufman, M.S., RDN, a Los Angeles-based nutrition expert and health blogger at Caroline Kaufman Nutrition. While avoiding tempting situations intuitively makes sense, a study found that people who can resist temptation deliberately avoid situations that require a lot of self-control.
Related: How to Trick Yourself Into Feeling Full
6. Move for 10 Minutes Every Hour
“When I know I’ll be sitting at my desk to write for long periods of time, I make sure to set my alarm on my phone to get up from my desk and move for 10 minutes each hour. Those 10-minute bursts of stair climbing, walking, stretching, standing, doing crunches or doing some combo of many things helps me not only burn some calories, it also freshens me up mentally,” says Elisa Zied, M.S., RDN, CDN and author of “Younger Next Week.”
This article originally appeared on LIVESTRONG.COM. Read the full article here.
By Patricia Bannan, M.S., R.D.
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