India Health & Wellness blog

Eat xxl

16th December, 2008 - Posted by admin -

Not eating enough is the major reason why we fall off the diet wagon. Here are some tips to bulk up your diet — not your figure

Stock up on starchy carbs
They get bad press but about one third of your diet should be made up of rice, beans and bread. Provided they aren’t smothered with creamy sauces or butter, starchy carbs are among the best foods to curb hunger without piling on pounds. To help you feel full for longer choose high-fibre options such as wholewheat cereals and brown rice.

Eat high-water foods 
Foods containing high levels of water are great stomach fillers and low in calories. To get full benefit, opt for non-creamy soups, homemade khichdi, bulked up with pureed pulses and lentils.

Cut unneeded fat 
Some fat is necessary for good health but it’s the least bulky food component so it’s quite easy to unwittingly overdo. Our bodies are also notoriously bad at telling us when we’ve eaten too much fat. If you tuck into a bag of high-fat crisps or chocolate, for example, by the time the signal reaches your brain to tell you to stop eating, you’ve already had far more than you need.

Snack on fruit and vegetables 
Try watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, apples and cherries. The mix of fibre and watery fruit and vegetables makes them particularly filling for their calorie count. Plus you’ll be getting loads of valuable vitamins.

Avoid processed meats 
Grilled pork sausages contain around 294 calories per 100 gm, whereas grilled lean pork chops have only 184 calories per 100 gm. Both will fill you up equally but the unprocessed meat is much less fattening, and has a lower salt option, too.