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First you’re on a horribly strict diet. Then you binge. Then you slog… slog desperately to get back on the austere diet. If this sounds familiar, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick on staying slim, and healthy. Looking for some pointers? Here’s how to go about it. Sedentary lifestyles, erratic eating habits, an irresistible fast-food culture – things that slow us down in this figure obsessed world. How can one stay in shape without opting for crazy routines of diet and exercise? Five simple practices can help you get fit for life without depriving yourself or falling into the fest-famine cycle. Drink water, lots of it When you’re dehydrated, your body retains water, increasing bloating. Drinking water helps control the appetite – ‘fake hunger’ cravings pass easier if you drink a glass or two of water. Water is also an excellent substitute for the caffeinated, over-sweetened drinks we’re so used to reaching for. Finally, it stimulates the kidneys to eliminate toxins, making your body healthier, and your skin radiant. Eat wholegrain foods Brown rice, whole wheat, and other minimally processed grains contain a great deal of fiber, which is essential for good health and for promoting satiety without the need for pigging out. Whole fruits and vegetables, skin on and cooked only as much as needed to up the flavor, are much more fulfilling than white flour and sugar, or salt-laden processed snacks. You simply need less of these usually tastier, infinitely healthier foods to feel fuller. Eat breakfast Your metabolism slows down at night when you sleep. A solid breakfast containing protein, carbohydrates and a little fat helps kick start it in the morning. Without that, you’re sitting around without expending a third of the calories eating breakfast spurs you to. But be careful of a couple of things – if you eat cereal, find the least sugary one possible. Eat fresh fruit, rather than drinking juice, because you want the fiber, too, in addition to the vitamins (and regrettable sugar). Eat many small, regular meals Instead of weighing yourself down with two or three enormous meals daily, eat small snack-like (but healthy!) meals throughout. It keeps your metabolism at a constant trot, and helps avoid those surges and crashes in blood sugar levels – caused in part by over-large meals – which prompt your body to hang on to its extra fat. Walk Just walk fast enough to break a sweat for 20-30 minutes a day. That’s all you need. These are lifestyle changes, not diet recommendations. So you may be dropping weight and looking better more incrementally than you like, but these positive changes will stick with you for life. Have your own unique dieting regimen or exercise routine? Have you ever suffered because of a crash diet? Share your experience with us.
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