Eat Yourself Thin

I enjoy food and as such, I do not deny myself of the joys of eating.  I do not count calories or carbs but I am mindful of what I eat and when I eat it.  I will still eat the occasional donut.  Our bodies are most sensitive to insulin in the morning which is why breakfast should be our biggest meal of the day.  Because our cortisol levels are highest around this time, skipping breakfast actually promotes weight gain.

Starchy carbs like breads, rice, and potatoes should be consumed earlier in the day.  After 6:00pm switch to more "watery" carbs such as squash, broccolli, and dark leafy greens.  I also make sure my meals have enough protein to balance out the carbs.  Generally my meals are comprised of about 50% protein, 40% carbs, and 10% fats.  Proteins take longer to digest which is why protein-dense foods keep us satiated longer than carbs do.  Proteins are more difficult to digest, stimulating our metabolisms to work harder which results in more calories burned. 

Another tip is to listen to our bodies.  Whenever I am hungry, I eat.  Eating five to six smaller meals a day prevents me from wanting to indulge in two or three giant meals.  I have trained my metabolism to use what I eat as immediate fuel.  My body knows that in about two hours, it's going to have more food.  If we force our bodies to go hungry, when we finally do eat, we tend to over eat.  This behavior conditions us to store more fat since our bodies don't know when the next meal is coming.  This is why conventional diets don't work.  Food should not be viewed as a source of punishment.  It is meant to be tasted and enjoyed - responsibly.