Our taste buds can be our own worst enemy when it comes to our weight loss goals. Food manufacturers learned that lesson long ago, by making our foods taste good even though they were limited when it came to actual nutritional value. Weight loss professionals know that the best way to start the process of shedding unwanted pounds is to retrain not only our minds but our taste buds as well.
Slowly Eliminate Salt and Sugar
Sugar and salt are the two most common tastes we crave. Learn to replace them with alternatives like herb mixes and honey. Because these are two of the strongest cravings people experience, you need to withdraw them gradually and begin to get used to the more natural flavorings of the foods you eat. Herbal mixes are a great way to season food and may even include a small amount of nutritional value. The same is true for honey and fruit juice as sweeteners.
Mix Old Favorites With New Foods You Want to Try
If you are leery of trying new things on their own, mix them with your old favorites. Put a few Brussels sprouts in with your stir-fry or add a few root vegetables into a casserole. You won't know until you try and including them in small amounts at the beginning will allow you to gradually become accustomed to their flavor.
Make the Plate Pretty
You are more likely to eat what is on your plate if it is visually appealing. Use the rainbow concept. Add foods that make up the rainbow. Red tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow squash, green beans, and purple plums are just a few of the “rainbow” foods that can make your plate look pretty enough to eat. Nutritionists say that “eating the rainbow” is the best way to get the maximum amount of nutrients at every meal.
Don't Smell Your Food
Certain foods have a terrible smell that some people don't like that often turns them off of the food altogether. Many discover that if they get past the smell, the food doesn't taste that bad. If that's the case, try to mask the odors of the foods that tend to be a little smelly and include them in your meals.
Limit the Number of Flavors Per Meal
Overwhelming your taste buds is another ingredient in the recipe for weight loss failure. Limit each meal to two or three base flavors. This allows your taste buds to experience each one, getting to know them and appreciate them. Once you re-introduce a few fresh flavors, you may be less inclined to go after the more convenient, processed foods that tend to cause so much trouble when it comes to weight loss.
Replace Processed Foods With Those Made From Scratch
Manufacturers know that it is all about taste. Our brain craves certain flavors. Artificial flavorings are often used to satisfy those cravings making us look more and more towards processed foods when we start to get hungry. Start to replace your processed food choices with ones that are made from scratch. Cook a few meals ahead and freeze them in single serving containers. This helps to limit the size of your portions and provides you the convenience of the processed foods.
Re-training your taste buds is a process. It won't occur overnight and may not be a pleasant experience for the few days. The key is learning to adapt. Educate yourself on the health benefits your food offers and take that into consideration. If you work at putting together healthy meals and make changes slowly, your taste buds will begin to adapt and before you realize it, your meals will be healthier and you will be dropping a few more pounds than in the past. Take your time and allow the changes to sink in slowly. When you start to feel better physically, it may be the motivation you need to keep moving forward.
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