The word "diet" has the ability to strike fear into the hearts of all of us, being perhaps one of the most difficult things we encounter throughout life, dieting can be a constant uphill struggle. However, with these handy hints we hope to provide you with a way of taking the edge off things and show you how to shave off a few extra calories here and there.
1. Drink Green Tea: Now this is a tip which can be applied not only to times of dieting but also to life in general. How does it work, I hear you ask. Well, green tea contains natural caffeine which can help speed the metabolism by 4%, effortlessly burning extra calories. 1 cup should be enough to induce the effect and as an added bonus, green tea is full of antioxidants.
2. Drink Ice Cold Water: Always keep a jug of water in the fridge, when you are thirsty a glass of ice cold liquid is almost always more refreshing and for your body to use it it needs to heat it up, this means that it will raise your metabolism and burn more calories. Clinical studies from a Berlin research center have even reported findings that suggest drinking ice cold water can increase your fat burning metabolism by up to 30% 10 minutes after consuming the water.
3. Carbs After Exercise: If you have intense cravings for sugary foods and carbohydrates and can't resist, then it's always best to eat after you finish exercising. This is because the body burns glycogen stored in the muscles while exercising, eating immediately after will see that the carbs are converted to glycogen and used to refuel the muscles, preventing them being stored as fat.
4. Eat Spicy: If you like your spices then you are in luck here. Research from Oxford University has demonstrated that eating your food with spices can help to increase your metabolic rate by 10 - 20% for 30 minutes after the meal. This however, is not an excuse to go out and binge at the local Indian restaurant.
5. Eat 5 -6 Small Meals: Humans are designed to consume food this way, as opposed to the 3 square meals a day. When you eat small and regular meals your body will burn the calories as it goes taking away the chance of storing excess calories as fat. Your metabolism is also kept high by eating small regular meals.
6. Eat Low GI Foods: The lower the GI (glycemic index) of a given food the better. GI refers to the rise in blood glucose levels following the consumption of a food. It is measured on a scale of 1 - 100, so glucose has an index of 100 - this will give you a short sharp burst of energy followed by a slump, whereas foods such as porridge with a low GI provide a longer, slower release of energy. This means that you will feel full for longer periods, helping to stave off hunger.