Eat up

"Contrary to popular belief, not eating will not help you lose weight. "Starving yourself is counterproductive," explains Austin. "When you skip meals, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy -- and stops burning fat." So keep eating, but you may want to rethink the timing of your meals and the portion size. Some people find that downing several small meals a day, instead of three big ones, is a good way to jump-start the calorie-burning process.” By Linnea Leaver

Start your day off right!

• Eat Breakfast!
• Drink 100% fruit juice (canned, from a carton, or freshly squeezed) with breakfast, or take a can to drink as you tract.
• Spruce up your breakfast—a banana or handful of berries will liven up your cereal, yogurt, waffles, or pancakes.
• Take a piece of fruit to munch on during your morning appointments.

Eating fruits and veggies is easier if they are right in front of you. The next time you grocery shop stock up on fruits and veggies that are in season for your area. If you are serving somewhere like Japan where fresh fruits cost over $50.00 (watermelons in Japan can be as much as $100) then see if you can have your family send you care-packages of dried fruits.

• Baked Potatoes, toast, corn on the cob, the one thing they all have in common is that we tend to lather them in butter! Why not try salt/pepper on your corn on the cob, fruit jam on your toast and low-fat sour cream on your potato. If you must use butter, use it sparingly.
• Try drinking 1% of skim-milk, you still get the nutrients you need, but without the fat.
• If you are able to afford meat on your mission budget, buy the lean cut meats for less fat. When you cook t, cut off all visible fat and drain the grease.
• Salads can be eaten with “healthy homemade dressings” like lemon juice or flavored vinegar and a small amount of olive oil.

Snacks

“Why do we eat snacks? They taste great, they’re easy, and they satisfy our sweet and salt cravings. And, let’s face it, crunchy food is fun. So why not make your own snacks by packing healthy, quick, and easy-to-grab foods such as little bags or containers of ready-to-eat vegetables (e.g., celery sticks, cucumber wedges, and cherry tomatoes). Or make healthier choices on snacks that are store bought, like pretzels or dried fruit. Keep them with you in your bag to eat between appointments.” *

Sweets

If you must eat sweets (like the cookie care-packages your parents send), here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Cut down on the portion size and how often you eat these items.
• Substitute low-fat or fat-free baked goods, cookies, and ice cream. They still taste great.

Eating Out

If you happen to be privileged to eat out, keep in mind that restaurant food is generally twice the size of a normal proportion. When ordering ask for half a portion and take the rest home in a “doggie-bag” for tomorrow.

“Fast food combines two of our favorite desires: things in a hurry and food. Unfortunately, it also tends to combine a lot of fat and calories. But it doesn’t have to if we’re careful. You can still get food in a hurry, but try these suggestions.

• Order a lean roast beef sandwich.
• Order grilled chicken sandwiches and do the fixings "your way."
• Keep the portions to regular and small. No "double" anything or "going large."
• Order items without the cheese.” *

Eat more, earlier

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper," advises Austin. This will give your body time to burn off the maximum number of calories, while maintaining your energy for the day.” (by Linnea Leaver) If your mission president allows you to plan your dinner appointment times, try to plan them early. This will allow you to work off a lot of the calories you’ve eaten before you head to bed.