How to Eat Like a Model

Making Healthy Food Choices

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables will provide your body with the nutrients it needs and, because they are relatively low in calories, you will get to enjoy eating higher volumes of food than you would if you were eating high-fat foods. This will leave you feeling more satisfied. If you have a hard time eating enough fruits and vegetables, try juicing them.

Eat complex carbs. Carbohydrates are also important for a healthy diet, but aim for whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates. Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and oats are all good options.

Don't forget protein. Protein is extremely important because it leaves you feeling full and energized for a long time, which will prevent you from overeating. Protein also requires more energy to digest than carbohydrates, which means you are burning more calories. Meat and fish are excellent sources of protein. You can also get protein from eggs, lentils, beans, cheese, yogurt, whole nuts and nut butters.

Know the difference between good and bad fats. It's good to consume a moderate amount of polyunsaturated fat, which is found in things like nuts, olive oil, avocados, and fatty fishes. Limit your consumption of saturated fats, which are found in meat and dairy products, by choosing low-fat options.

Cut out processed foods. Anything that is made with chemicals or refined ingredients is considered a processed food. This includes everything from white bread to bacon to potato chips. Overly processed foods are bad for you because they are typically high in calories, bad fats, salt, and sugar, but low in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. This means you will not feel satisfied for very long, so you will continue to consume more and more calories. Processed foods can also be addictive. It might be hard to cut them out at first, but once you get used to eating real food, you'll be glad you did.

Watch out for sugary drinks. If you're drinking soda, juice, or sweetened coffee, you are probably consuming extra calories. The body doesn't process these liquid calories the same way it does with solid food, so you will probably feel just as hungry after drinking them. Diet sodas are not helpful for weight loss either. Studies have shown that people who drink diet soda regularly are more likely to gain weight than people who don't.

Sip on water. In addition to keeping your body hydrated, drinking water can also help you eat less. Your body can sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, so the next time you think you feel hungry between meals, see if you feel satisfied after a bit of water. If you find plain water too boring, add some fruits (e.g. lemon, lime) or herbs (e.g. mint) to it for added flavor.

Kicking Bad Habits to the Curb

Don't skip meals. Skipping meals can cause your metabolism to slow down and it can also cause you to overeat because you will be very hungry by the time you do allow yourself to eat. Eating small snacks between meals is helpful for some people. If this helps prevent you from overeating at meals, go for it! For the best results, try a protein-packed snack that is 200 calories or less.

Stop eating when you're full. Many people will eat as much food as there happens to be on their plate, without stopping to think if they are still hungry. Start being more mindful by stopping yourself after you've finished half of your food and asking yourself if you are satisfied or still hungry. Don't deprive yourself of more food if you are still hungry, but stop eating if you realize you are not. It might also help to eat a little slower, so your body has a chance to begin digesting and can let you know when it has had enough. Practice what is known as "hara hachi bu," which means eating until you feel about 80% full.

Don't eat for emotional reasons. It might be hard to recognize at first, but the next time you reach for a snack between meals, ask yourself if you are feeling angry, lonely, or tired. If you are, think about other things you can do to feel better. Going for a walk or calling your best friend might give you the pick-me-up you need.

Don't obsess over food. While it's important to make good decisions, try to take a more relaxed approach to it. You will have much more success in losing weight if healthy eating habits become a regular habit that you don't have to think about. Try thinking more about the healthy foods that you will add into your diet than the bad foods you will eliminate. Also, try to find healthy foods that you genuinely enjoy eating. If you do both of these things, you may not even crave unhealthy foods anymore. Instead of depriving yourself of the foods you love, allow yourself a little indulgence once in awhile. In fact, deprivation can lead to overeating, so it may be healthier to give in to your cravings every so often. This means you can still eat chocolate or bacon, as long as it's in moderation.

Don't be caught unprepared. Always bring healthy snacks, like raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, and low-fat yogurt with you when you go out. This will prevent you from giving into temptation if you get hungry and there are no healthy options available where you are.

Don't store junk food in your house. It's much easier to avoid eating junk food if you don't have any readily available. When you feel the need to indulge yourself, go to the store and purchase a single serving of your favorite snack. Bringing it home will make it very hard to keep yourself from overindulging.

Incorporating Other Healthy Habits

Try counting calories. If you need the structure of a diet to reach your goals, keep track of everything you eat and calculate the number of calories you are consuming by using an online calorie counter. Then compare that number to the number of calories you actually need. You can find this out by using an online Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calculator. Use this information to cut your calories by a safe amount. A modest reduction in calories, combined with a modest increase in activity, can go a long way in helping you reach your weight loss goals. Never consume less than 1,200 calories per day unless you are instructed to do so by a doctor and you are under medical supervision. To help you keep track of your calories on the go, try downloading a mobile app such as MyFitnessPal.

Use healthy last-minute diet tricks. If you need to slim down for a big event, make sure to diet in a healthy way. Ramp up your healthy eating habits by making sure everything you eat is high in nutrients and vitamins. Try to cut out foods that cause inflammation. Common culprits are alcohol, grains, and sugar. Instead, eat lots of green vegetables. This should leave you looking and feeling less bloated in a pinch.

Exercise. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day. You can incorporate a combination of structured workouts, like jogging or taking a yoga class, and everyday activities, like walking up the stairs, into your lifestyle. Assess your activity level by wearing a pedometer. This will give you a good idea of how much you are already moving during an ordinary day and how much activity you need to add into your daily routine. A combination of different types of exercise is ideal because it will allow you to focus on different muscle groups.

Get plenty of sleep. In order for your body to function at its best, it needs ample time to recharge and regenerate. Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night. If this is impossible, see if you can get an extra 15 to 30 minutes each night. Anything helps!