Healthy Behaviors Vital to the Medifast Diet
For the Medifast for Teens program to be a success, it is important that healthy behaviors are adopted as this will aid you with your short term and long term weight control goals.
Below are some of the healthy behaviors that will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight:
1. Control Your Portions
Did you know that restaurant portions are two to four times the size of standard serving sizes? It’s no wonder that the concern on obesity is on the rise because serving sizes has now become two to four times of what they ought to be. Thus, when you consume one “restaurant serving,” you are in fact consuming more calories without even knowing it. This is what is called “portion distortion.”
Remember that calorie content increases with portion size. Always read product packages and do take note of serving sizes. For example, if a 20-ounce bottle of non-diet soda is listed as having 2.5 servings and each serving has 200 calories, this means that you will have consumed 500 total calories if you drink the whole bottle. That is equivalent to five Medifast Meals.
Meal replacements, such as the Medifast Meals, are an excellent tool for learning to identify appropriate portion sizes. Eating portion-controlled meals effectively reduces total calorie intake and helps maintain weight loss results.
2. Never Skip Your Breakfast
It is a well known fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it helps ignite your metabolism. It gives you the energy you need to be able to start your day and helps you focus on your tasks during the day.
People who skip their breakfast have a lower metabolic rate compared to those who eat their breakfast. If you find yourself always on-the-go in the morning, there are some Medifast Meals you can choose from. These breakfast meals are convenient and perfect for those who simply do not have time to prepare breakfast.
3. Eat Five to Six Small Meals a Day
Studies have shown that the “three square meals” that we have grown accustomed to is not the best method of weight control. It was found that the ideal way to lose weight is to eat every three hours or when we usually experience physiologic hunger. This will keep you feeling fuller during the day and will prevent blood sugar fluctuations.
Medifast has a lot of ready-to-go meal replacements which are convenient for people with busy schedules. Further, it ensures that you eat regularly and properly throughout the day.
4. Eat Slowly and Savor Your Food
People who eat slowly are more likely to control their portions. This is because when the stomach signals your brain that it is full, it will usually take twenty minutes for the brain to fully receive the signal. Savor your food and chew them anywhere between fifteen to twenty times to slow down your eating process.
5. Drink Lots of Fluids
Always drink lots of fluids. It is recommended that you drink at least six to eight cups of water each day. You may also drink up to 16 ounces of calorie-free beverages. This includes unsweetened ice tea, herbal tea, coffee, diet soda and calorie-free drink mixes such as Crystal Light or Sugar Free Kool-Aid.
6. Eat Home-Cooked Meals
Studies have shown that home-cooked meals have a greater success rate when it comes to your weight loss efforts. Home-cooked meals are great whether you choose to eat these foods at home or bring it with you to school. It would be wise to limit eating out especially in fast food chains as much as possible.
We will discuss more of the healthy behaviors that make your Medifast diet a success on the next post.
Related posts:
General Nutrition, Losing Weight, Medifast Diet, Medifast for Teens
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diet, General Nutrition, Health, Medifast Diet, Medifast for Teens, Weight Loss
