Many people have the tendency to go on diets and conform to the whole, “I’m going to lose weight” phases of their lives. I feel as if people go about dieting all wrong. First of all, when you call it a Diet, you are already in a losing battle.

What I mean by this is why change the way you eat ENTIRELY? Small adjustments to your eating habits can go a long way.

Instead of having carbonated drinks which are loaded with bad sugar, why not have some lightly flavored water? Some of these water mixtures actually taste pretty good. Some of them come in powder for and you just mix it with water, others you can find here.

Another alternative is for the ketchup lovers (like myself). The amount of sugar and calories that condiments have in them can make a world of Difference in the calorie and carbohydrate department. High carbs equals big belly, especially if they are the bad Carbs. Most people who go on a low carbohydrate “diet” manage to cut carbs out completely, which is unfortunate because that is the Longer Lasting energy source.

When I say Longer lasting, I am referring to the good carbs. If you want immediate energy, you can get straight to the adding of fat through peanuts, oils, etc.These are better known as your lipids. Lipids can replace any pre-workout drink out there because it is a straight to the point kind of fat. It’s purpose IS to be used. We need fat to burn off, so do not dismiss it completely (active people only).  Use this advice wisely and do not overdo or misuse it, you might get a belly if you’re not careful.

One other thing that I have been doing as of very recent is adding flaxseed to some of my foods, such as cereals and oatmeals. There are plenty of benefits to using flaxseeds in your meals and it may be more helpful than you think. For people like me who are getting older, our metabolisms are slowing down. Finding ways to manage our weight become a little more difficult. Flaxseed expands in liquids making the person who uses it feel much fuller. It is high in fiber and contains fat (do not get discouraged by the word fat, we need it) as well. Put two tablespoons in at least one meal a day and you’ll notice increased energy and you’ll feel fuller for a longer period of time.

I hope these tips help you as much as they have been helping me. Let me know what you think, and remember, small changes make a big difference!