11 TIPS TO AVOID OVEREATING

Summer has oficially arrived! With good weather come skimpy clothes, ice cream and barbeques. The streets will be perfumed with the hunger inducing aroma of charcoaled sausages, chicken and burgers. Buns will come out too, together with salads and copious amounts of beer and wine.

How can you avoid overdoing it with such culinary delicatessen on offer? How do you get to enjoy the sunny season’s celebrations without overeating or destroying all the hard work you’ve put in the gym for months?

All is not lost! Here’s how you can enjoy your bbqs without too much collateral damage:

1. Always eat breakfast. Not just at the weekends, not just when you have time… always! Get your metabolism burning fat from the moment you get up. Eat eggs, vegetable soup, or a salad and notive your energy levels soar and stay up throughout the day.

2. Keep well hydrated throughout the day with good quality filtered or bottled water. I recommend Evian, and one litre per 40 pounds of body weight.

3. Avoid sugary, fizzy or caffeinated drinks that dehydrate you and make you feel fake hunger. The same goes for alcohol.

4. Pack your meals full with fresh foods (fish, meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts) as opposed to processed foods that often come in super sized boxes and are packed with sugar, salt and cancer causing chemicals.

5. Eat using a dessert plate as opposed to overly sized bowls and plates.

6. Put your cutlery down on the plate after every bite. It’s easier to notice whe you are satisfied and you’ve had enough.

7. Chew your food thoroughly. The digestion process starts in the mouth. Health and effective fat loss starts with a healthy digestive system.

8. Drink small sips of water (not sugary or fizzy or caffeinated drinks) with your food.

9. Avoid eating in front of the telly, while working at the computer, or while reading a book or a magazine. Basically, concentrate on the task at hand.

10. Make your meals a sacred ritual. Pay them your full attention. Take the time to enjoy the whole experience: the colours on the plate, the taste of the food and how good you feel after you’ve eaten healthy foods.

11. Always carry with you small snacks of fruit, vegetables (carrots and celery sticks are great snacks) or nuts, so if you get hungry you can resort to them straight away. A portion of nuts consists of the amount of nuts you can fit into a closed fist. A portion of fruit is one average piece of fruit.

The worst thing you can do is skip meals during the day in anticipation of a bbq or a party. That will contribute to your metabolism slowing down and you storing more body fat.

Stick to your every day meal routine. This way you won’t be starving when you get there, which means you will be able to make better choices easily!