We’re halfway way through our small change special. Today, how simply having a raw salad before your meal can shave 12 per cent off the calories you consume. If you have just joined us, scroll down to find out more about the Tweak Diet
Eating a salad before your meals will never turn out to be the worst idea you have ever had. Of course, it will increase your veggie and fibre quota. But research from Pennsylvania State University has also found that it could help you eat less.
In a study on 42 women, obesity researcher Professor Barbara Rolls and her team found that those that ate a large bowl of raw salad with either no dressing or one low in calories felt increased fullness after eating. Perhaps because of this, these women also consumed 12 per cent less at their meals than those that didn’t opt for pre-meal greenery.
This is such a win-win tweak because the increased fibre in an all raw salad comes with virtually no calories, increased water and also helps slow down the glucose absorption in the bloodstream from your meal. That’s one of the reasons you stay fuller for longer.
Anything raw is great but particularly beneficial are bitter greens. Examples include radiccio, chicory, dandelion leaves, rocket and endives as well as dark leafy lettuce varieties. When our tongues taste the bitterness and chew these greens our digestive juices are stimulated which helps break down food and extract nutrients from it.
JUST JOINED THE HEALTHISTA JANUARY TWEAK DIET? here are some guidelines to get you started
What is the Tweak diet? Designed for anyone who doesn’t want to go on a big starv-y diet during January, we deliver you one new small change to make to your diet or lifestyle on each day in January. You continue each change throughout the month and come February, be on your way to weight loss and new healthy habits you can keep all year. You in?
2. Continue with each of your small changes throughout the month and come end January, you will have built up a heap of new healthy habits and will be well on your way to losing weight and feeling better.
3. If you fall off the wagon just get back on asap If you don’t manage to keep up all your small changes every day, don’t worry. Just get back on the next day or even better, at the next meal.
4. Measure once at the start and once at the end. That’s all Take your waist, hip and bust measurements at the start and end of your tweak-a-thin journey.
5. Send us selfies of your tweak-a-thin journey Post them to Healthista on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments below. At the end of January we’ll publish them and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a Healthista exclusive pamper hamper handpicked by yours truly.
6. Do what you can Obviously you don’t have to do every single tweak we suggest. Even just one will make a difference as we’ve handpicked each change to be small but powerful. The more you do though, the better your results.
More posts in Healthista’s January Daily Tweak Diet
Day #1 Record everything you eat
Day #2 Drink two litres of water daily
Day #3 Your at-a-glance portion guide
Day #4: Have a protein breakfast for weight loss
Day #5 Cut back on sugar with these simple tips
Day #6 Burn an extra 500 calories a day (without the gym)
Day #7 Snack on 40 almonds a day
Day #8 Is it real hunger or a craving?
Day #9 Take the stairs – five times
Day #10 Add flavour without calories
Day #11 Weigh yourself once a week
Day #12 Drink four cups of green tea a day
Day #13 The 4 words that can stop emotional eating
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