One of the problems with dieting is that it’s often considered as being akin to doing penance for not having a ‘perfect’ body. When viewed in that light, it’s almost a cardinal sin to admit to enjoying good food! It doesn’t have to be that way though. Enjoying food is one of life’s little pleasures and it doesn’t automatically follow that one ie dieting excludes the other ie enjoying food.

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The trick is to think of dieting not as giving up tasty food, but as learning to appreciate new foods and different flavors. There are plenty of herbs, spices and non-fattening condiments available that will add zing and zest to even the most boring dishes. Lean white meats like chicken and fish are often included in diets because they’re low in fats and high in nutritional content. However, they can also be a little bland, especially when cooked using low fat methods like broiling or steaming. This is where knowing your spices can make a whole lot of difference, and add a whole lot of taste, to the finished dish!

Vegetables like carrot and celery sticks, broccoli and cauliflower flowerets, capsicum slices and so on make delicious snacks when paired up with a healthy homemade dip. In fact, they’re a perfect and healthy substitute for chips and crackers.

Whole grains are another valuable contributor to a healthy diet. They also provide dietary fiber, which is almost as essential to good health as water. There are several easy ways to add more whole grains to your diet.

• Eat whole wheat bread and brown rice instead of white bread and white rice
• In fact, you can swap the rice side dish for quinoa. Quinoa can also be used instead of breadcrumbs or flour for coating chicken and shrimp 
• Add flavor and texture to casseroles, stews, soups, and even salads with bulgur wheat and barley
• Use a combination of whole wheat, buckwheat, oat, or amaranth flours in your baking instead of refined white flour
• Replace snack crackers with unadorned, homemade popcorn, another healthy whole grain, or keep a box of whole-grain cereal on hand for those times in between meals when hunger strikes. Nuts and dried fruits are another tasty snack alternative, although keep in mind that nuts do come with a high calorie count. However, they’re also full of essential nutrients!

Another point to remember about dieting is that it’s often a lot easier to stick with it if you allow yourself the odd cheat day. Consider allowing yourself one of these days when you reach a particular weight loss goal. Perhaps you wanted to fit into your favorite pair of jeans again; when you can, reward yourself with a small helping of your favorite snack.

‘Small helping’ brings us to another tip for successful dieting. Quite often it’s more about portion control and total calorie count at the end of the day than about totally giving up food you love. Furthermore, whilst ‘low sugar’, ‘low fat’, and ‘low calorie’ alternatives are often touted as adequate diet substitutes, the fact is that many of these so-called ‘diet’ products contain other (usually unhealthy) additives to make them palatable enough to eat, or drink! Therefore, you’re generally better off simply enjoying a small portion of the full fat or full sugar version instead. As a trade off, and to keep your calorie count within the daily limit, you can reduce or remove something else you might normally have eaten that day.

Ultimately, the whole point is that dieting doesn’t have to feel like punishment! Nor does it have to be a tasteless journey of bland meals and boring snacks. You may also find that adding dietary aids like diet pills ie those in the Shark Tank keto pill episode, to your daily routine can help you lose weight without sacrificing your quality of life!