Joe Packo from our ITG headquarters has some great ideas to help your success! Be sure to read through his ideas and tips below! (My own tips will be listed throughout the article as well!)

Extra Tips For Success

by Joseph Packo

Shopping

Eat a meal before grocery shopping – this will help curb your appetite and keep you from making impulse purchases at the store.

Think of what your parents and grandparents might have bought from the store when they were younger.

Stay away from foods in attention-grabbing packaging or with special advertising and graphics to draw you in. (Avoid the big and colorful displays when walking in)

Steer clear of products that have been heavily processed. (Slices of cheese, Frozen dinners, Canned foods, ect)

Look for products with just a few well-known ingredients.

Foods labeled “light” will not help with weight loss (“light” can mean a lighter color!) (Do not consume products labels as "light", "sugar free", "Low ____". Stick to real food!)

Buy foods in smaller packages rather than in large, bulky packages.

Many of the best products, and the healthier options, are on the bottom shelf. Bend down to find them.

Cooking

Steam your foods instead of adding fats to cook them.

Reheat leftovers and do not add any fats.

Cook eggs in a non-stick pan with some mineral water and avoid adding any fats for cooking them.

Use a paper towel to remove excess oils and fat from cooked meat.

Cook vegetable crisps in oven at 300 degrees without adding fat. (check out our yummy zucchini chip recipe)

At restaurants, order salad, protein and a side of vegetables – watch those condiments. (Always have your own dressing or be aware of the dressing options at the restaurant- you can always order olive oil and lemon juice!)

Surroundings

Eat only at the kitchen table or in the dining room. (if you have a favorite chair or spot in the house, make sure to add  your favorite ITG snacks there to ensure you are surround by compliant snacks!)

Don’t leave snacks lying around in plain sight.

Don’t wear elastic clothing – wear clothing that will feel tighter if you start gaining weight.

Throw foods out that are past their shelf life, do not eat them.

Only eat food from a plate – never from a pot or a pan, leave them in the kitchen.

Cool bedrooms can stimulate fat burning while sleeping.

Brush teeth immediately after a meal – this cuts back the temptation to eat more.

Enjoy Your Foods

Give yourself at least 20 minutes to eat a meal and take your time.

Do not eat while standing, walking, on the couch, or sitting at your work desk.

Turn off the TV, phone, tablet, and put away the newspaper while eating.

Give yourself a variety of foods to enjoy rather than sticking to the same thing. (There are great recipes on ITGDiet.com)

Chew food thoroughly until it is no longer solid. (Drink water in between bites to help will you up and slow down your eating pace)

Do not put more food on your fork until the last bite is completely finished.

When finishing a serving, take a break. This can help you from overloading your plate on a second helping.

Feel Fuller for Longer

Low-calorie, homemade soups satisfy hunger for longer. (Use low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth with whole vegetables instead of cans of soup!)

Eat less food from a smaller plate.

Have filling vegetables and salad at earlier meals to help avoid snacking.

Establish a regular meal time schedule.

Season your foods well and feel fuller.

The same portion of food at breakfast is much more filling than that portion of food for dinner.

Protein foods will keep you feeling fuller for longer than carb- and fat-filled foods.

Drink a large glass of water before every meal to help cut back on portion sizes.

You can always incorporate a fiber drink such as Acacia Fiber, Inulin Fiber or Benefiber in to your afternoon to help satiate your appetite and help sugar levels from dropping

Drinking

Alcohol is high in calories and will also stimulate your hunger.

Between meals, drink water first when hungry. You are usually thirsty and your brain does not know the difference.

Hot/Cold tea is more filling and has little to no calories.

In Step 2 and 3, it is better to eat a whole fruit rather than to drink it.

Fruit juices are just pure sugar - you should NEVER go back to juices!

Nutrition

Snacking on sweets between meals stimulates hunger – avoid.

Keep carb intake low in the evening to help stimulate fat burning mode during your sleep. Stick to your basics of meats and vegetables with your dinner!

Calories from starchy vegetables are more filling than calories from sugary foods.

In Step 2 and 3, enjoy fruit as a dessert rather than a snack. Use vegetables and protein as snacks instead.

Cut visible fat off meat.

Foods with lots of fiber and water are the most filling, and eat them slowly – it takes time for your body to feel full from them.

When in Step 2 and 3, a well-balanced mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fats is preferred depending on your body’s needs. (Depends is you workout more frequently than most, if you do a lot of cardiovascular exercises you will require more calories, protein and nutrients throughout the day)

Keep Active

Get up from your chair or desk during the work day to move. Stand when on the phone. (Check out our very own Body Basics for stretches and exercises!)

Use the stairs and park a distance from the building entrance to walk more.

Use your own body weight for exercises.

Jump rope, walk, bike, swim, use the treadmill or stationary bike to be active every day.

Drink plenty of water before and after exercise.

Avoid sports drinks. (Use Nuun Tablets to replenish you electrolytes, NEVER Gatorade or Powerade)

Adjusting to the Diet

After two weeks your body will adjust and foods with less sugar will taste sweeter than before. It will take about 4-8 weeks to completely detox from sugar!

Before snacking, ask yourself if you are snacking out of habit or because you are truly hungry. Try drinking a bottle of water if you are not sure if you are hungry

When snack cravings kick in, wait awhile first to see if you still have cravings instead of immediately giving in. If after 30 minutes you are still hungry, opt for vegetables or a protein snack.

Maintaining Your Goal

Weigh yourself once per week to be mindful of weight rather than daily – reduces frustration.

Weigh in the morning on an empty stomach each week. (This will be your "true weight". This is typically the lowest you will weigh throughout the day)

Treat yourself to a fun food day, or a reward day – within reason.

Stick to a healthy eating pattern during the work days and reward yourself on your day off.

If you happen to overeat, get back to your regular eating pattern immediately – don’t wait. Learn from mistakes and do better next time.

Eat dinner earlier and brush teeth afterwards – cut out late night snacking by going to bed a little earlier and getting more sleep.

Use your Maintenance checklist that Brittney gave you to make sure you are staying within your weight range!