A large salad may sound healthy, but all these goodies at the top can be more loaded with calories than lasagne or Alfredo fettuccine. Cheese crumbs, caramelized nuts, bacon, avocado, nuts, croutons and salad dressings can add a lot of calories.
One study suggests that drinking lots of sugary drinks not only adds a lot of unnecessary calories to your diet, but can also boost your appetite later. You can also reduce other high-sugar, high-calorie drinks. These include fruit juices and smoothies that are sweetened with sugar, some coffees and alcoholic beverages that are made commercially.
Of the calories you eat, 10 to 35% protein, 45 to 65% carbohydrates and 20 to 35% fat must be present, according to the Institute of Medicine. Focus on eating whole foods, including a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid saturated fats and cholesterol to keep your diet nourishing. By getting all the nutrients you need, your body can better metabolize the food you eat, making it a more efficient fat burning machine.
Breakfast may be slightly larger than other meals and the last snack before bed should be the smallest. The reason you should enjoy a small pre-bed meal is that your metabolism is slower and less active during the night and you burn fewer calories during that time. You should also take your last meal about 3 hours before bedtime.
