Maïa Baudelaire, Nutritional Coach and Slimming Expert in Food Behaviour, explains how you can combine slimming with pleasure, because, believe it or not, it’s actually possible to lose weight and smile at the same time!
Dieting doesn’t have to be depressing: at I Love my Diet Coach®, we believe that you have to love eating and cooking! My secret: choose quality over quantity. And here are some tips on how to keep your figure … and your lovely smile!
1. Identify your “weaknesses”
Do you have a sweet tooth? Draw up a list of your top 3 foods and spread them over the week. So, once a day, you could have 1 or 2 squares of chocolate after lunch for example …Or are you more into savoury? If so, you could choose some whole or semi-complete foods; 2 slices of cereal bread would be better than a small packet of chips! Your Nutritional Diet Coach can give you tips and guide you on how to make the right dietary choices.
2. Cook!
Make your own meals, at least that way you know what you’re putting into your meals and in what quantities. You made too much? Freeze it! You will have some for later or you could even take some into work another day.
You can also easily decrease the quantities of basic ingredients in recipes: butter, oil, flour, sugar … for a recipe of 4 people remove 30 or 40g on average. Replace them with other ingredients that are nutritionally better for you: in pastries, for example, replace some of the butter with almond or hazelnut powder, white sugar with brown sugar, chocolate with Cocoa Powder…
3. Vary foods and colours
Feast your eyes! Put together beautiful dishes rich in vegetables, especially those which are in season! And this should break up the monotony of cooking. By doing this, you will also give your body the nutrients it needs for proper functioning and avoid the ups and downs associated with dieting. Children also prefer attractive meals, don’t hesitate to draw men’s heads with vegetables to make them want to eat!
4. Taste, savour, enjoy!
Whatever the food, take your time to enjoy it. If you chew slowly, you will be satiated quicker. Also make sure you enjoy meals with friends and family: you always have a good time eating in a balanced way. The secret ? Avoid refilling your plate and stop when you are no longer hungry.
5. Take care of yourself!
Don’t hesitate to get massages, in doing so, you will have a moment of well-being and relaxation that should prevent you from cracking … And ditto for sport: without running a daily marathon (a daily routine is sufficient), take a little time out each day for the sports you love: zumba, yoga, walking, gardening, swimming … Sport has a beneficial effect, releasing hormones which help keep us in good mood and our silhouettes looking good!