Guidelines for Slimmers

EATING

You’ve heard it before – vary your diet with grain products, veggies and fruits. We emphasise them because they are full of vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates and other great things. A good way to get started is to have a food diary, to record everything you eat, what you were doing at the time, and how you felt. That tells you about yourself, your temptation, the emotional states that encourage you to snack and may help you lose once you see how much you eat.

Instead of eating the forbidden piece of candy, brush your teeth. If you’re about to cheat, allow yourself a treat, then eat only half a bite and throw the other half away. When hunger hits, wait 10 minutes before eating and see if it passes.

Set attainable goals. Don’t say, «I want to lose 50 pounds in total». Say, «I want to lose 10 pounds a month. «Get enough sleep but not too much. Try to avoid sugar. Highly sweetened foods tend to make you crave more.

Diet with a buddy. Support groups are important, and caring people can help one another succeed. Start your own, even with just one other person.

If the pie on the counter is just too great a temptation and you don’t want to throw it away, freeze it. If you’re a late-night eater, have a carbohydrate, such as a slice of bread or a cracker, before bedtime to cut down on cravings. Keep an orange slice or a glass of water by your bed to quiet the hunger pangs that wake you up.

Make dining an event. Eat from your own special plate, on your own special placemat, and borrow the Japanese art of food arranging to make your meal, no matter how meagre, look lovely. This is a trick that helps chronic over-eaters and bingers pay attention to their food instead of consuming it unconsciously.

Don’t shop when you’re hungry. You’ll only buy more fattening food. Avoid finger foods that are easy to eat in large amounts. Avoid consuming large quantities of fattening liquids, which are so easy to overdo. And this includes alcoholic beverages.

Keep plenty of crunchy foods like raw vegetables and air-popped fat-free popcorn on hand. They’re high in fibre, satisfying and filling. Leave something on your plate, even if you are a charter member of the «Clean The Plate Club». It’s a good sign that you can stop eating when you want to, not just when your plate is empty.

Always eat at the table, never in front of the TV set or with the radio on. Concentrate on eating every mouthful slowly and savouring each morsel. Chew everything from 10 to 20 times and count! Never skip meals.

HOLIDAYS AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Are you concerned about gaining weight this holiday season? Many studies have shown that people gain several pounds over the holidays and the accumulation of this weight gained over the years may be a contributing cause of obesity later in life.

Whether you’ve just started a weight loss program, you’re halfway to your goal weight, or you’re trying to maintain, you may dread the holiday season for the culinary temptation it brings. Relax – you don’t have to bow out of social occasions to stay on track. These tips can help you to celebrate and not gain weight this holiday season.

§ Compensate for indulgence. Add an extra 10 minutes to your exercise routine if you know you’ll be faced with gourmet snacks. Or eat a lighter breakfast or lunch to save up calories for dinner. Don’t go to a party hungry, though, or you could set yourself up for a binge at the buffet table.

§ If you’re playing host or hostess, you’ll have more control over the menu. Serve healthful, attractive foods, such as an artfully arranged fruit tray or low-fat d’oeuvres.

§ If you are at a party with a huge buffet table filled with foods and desserts, stand on the other side of the room away from temptation.

§ Drink water or juice instead of alcohol or high-fat drinks to save calories. For example, an 8-ounce glass of eggnog with rum may contain 450 calories.

§ Don’t snack on foods you don’t love – instead, save yourself for small portions of your favourite holiday treats that you don’t get any other time of year.

§ Keep tabs with a food journal. Even if you don’t keep a food diary any other time of the year, doing so will help you remember to eat healthily and sensibly through the holiday season. Purchase a small notebook and keep it in your purse or pocket to help you monitor your holiday indulgences. At the end of the day, add up your calories to make sure you’re staying within a reasonable range for weight maintenance.

§ If you are bringing a food gift to a party, bring something healthy and low in calories so you know there will be something tasty to eat that won’t sabotage your diet plan.

EXERCISE

This is a very important part of any diet. You should take at least 30 minutes’ energetic exercise each day. When the cravings hit, go to the «Y» or health club if possible; or dust, or walk around the block. This is especially helpful if you eat out of anger. Choose something you like – swimming, dancing, gardening or at least walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift – and get into the habit of doing some every day!

Exercise 1. Find the corresponding English equivalents:

1. сбалансированная диета

2. недостаток витамина С

3. на каждый килограмм веса

4. подсчитать количество калорий

5. овощи

6. соблазн, искушение

7. успокоить чувство голода

8. искусство оформления еды

9. скудный, ограниченный

10. потреблять что-либо бессознательно

11. воздушный нежирный попкорн

12. смаковать каждый кусочек

Exercise 2. Basing on the texts, explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations:

1) to maintain tissue

2) to regulate body functions

3) sensible eating

4) to encourage smb to snack

5) to crave

6) to hit cravings

7) chronic over-eaters

8) a binger

9) to overdo

10) to skip meals