50 tips to keep you on your diet

[John Romano]

There is only one way to rid your body of fat. You have to change the way you live - you have to make your body work and you have to face up to the serious reality of what a diet really is. Changing your life in such a way is not easy, but, since chocolate can be part of it, it's not impossible, and just like sex, the longer you do it the easier it gets.
However you make that commitment, once you do, the following 50 tips will influence the most positive results.

1. Accept the facts. There’s no magic involved in getting your body to liberate stored fat. You must change the way you live and the way you eat. In other words, exercise your body and monitor and/or limit your intake of food. Only if your energy expenditure is greater than your caloric intake, will you burn bodyfat. You must have an unwavering commitment to this fact or you will fail.
2. Maintain or increase muscle mass. Specifically, do weight training. Muscle is metabolically active— it requires calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you need to sustain it, the more food you can eat and still bring down your level of bodyfat.
3. Do your cardio. Forty-five minutes on a stair climber or treadmill with your heart rate at 70 percent of VO2 max will not only burn about 500 calories, but it will also keep your metabolism elevated for up to six hours post exercise.
4. Know Your Stats. Unless you know from experience what works for you, hook up with one of the many specialized diet and nutrition councilors and get the computerized body assessment done so that you know precisely what to eat and when to eat it. Or, just call Dave Palumbo.
5. Don't Cheat. Be conscious of your will power— you and only you are in control of what you eat. Exercise this power absolutely. Who’s going to know if you are a little heavy handed on the salad dressing? You are - don't lie to yourself - Only eat what your diet allows — NO CHEATING! Except Sundays……
6. Allow yourself a treat. All diet and no fun can make you nuts. No more than once a week, really indulge in those things you miss. I wouldn't recommend this if you are close to an event for which you are preparing, but your basic long-term "diet" will be unaffected by a weekly splurge at Godiva or eating at China Express and not getting the bourbon chicken.
7. Don’t punish yourself. If you do go off the deep end and really, really blow it big time, go right back to where you left off. You can’t compensate by starving yourself or over-aerobicising. No matter what you ate or however much, three days back on the program will erase any clue.
8. Picture the end result. Look in the mirror and ponder the future. Imagine what you’ll look like when you reach your goal. Use the image to make good decisions.
9. Be Realistic. You didn't gain all your weight in two weeks, so it's going to take more than two weeks to take it off. A half pound to a pound a week is all you should ever hope to lose - if that. A slow steady metamorphosis is underway.
10. Attach a photo of yourself in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Every time you open the door you’ll see it and it will motivate you to do the right thing. If you’ve never been in killer shape…
11. Attach a picture of someone else in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Pick someone who's got the body you want and stick it on the door to the fridge. Seeing that, there is less chance you’ll decide to do the wrong thing.
12. Don’t eat before bed. Sleep uses little fuel— those calories are going to get stored somewhere, since there isn’t much of a chance they’ll be burned. At least two hours should pass between eating and sleeping.
13. Eat Consistently throughout the day. No more than three to four hours should pass between meals. Spacing meals keeps your energy levels constant and prevents ravenous hunger.
14. If you eat carbs eat low-glycemic carbohydrates. Slow-burning carbs, such as beans, yams and whole grains, will keep your blood sugar stable. Sugars found in some fruits, fruit juices, refined and processed foods cause wild fluctuations in insulin. Insulin bursts enhance fat storage plus they can leave you feeling starved and foraging for more to eat.
15. Trust the System. Within a certain range, humans all follow the same metabolic pathways. No human has the ability to send a brownie straight to their thigh. We all pretty much work the same - we certainly all get fat the same way. We also lose fat the same way - every one of us. If someone else can do it, so can you. It happens all the time.
16. Take your fat burners. Studies prove thermogenic supplements help the body burn more fat and preserve lean body mass while suppressing appetite and elevating your energy level.
17. Eat foods high in fiber. Salads, leafy green vegetables, etc. fill you up with good colon-cleaning bulk with barely negligible calories. Just watch the dressing!
18. Eat foods low in fat. No more than 20 percent of the calories per serving should come from fat. How does one figure this out? (See 19.)
19. Read the labels! Loads of fat and sugar are innocently consumed, hidden under label claims of “fat free,” "lean," “light,” “low fat,” etc. FDA labeling claims are based on net weight, not calories. So do the math! Multiply the fat grams by 9 to get the number of calories from fat there are per serving and you will have a much different picture than the label claims. Sugars are also listed separate of total carbohydrates. While the number of carbs may be low, most of them could be coming from sugar (refer back to number 14 for why that's bad).
20. Keep a diet journal. Writing down everything you eat and drink, as well as computing the calories of each macro nutrient, is the only way to be absolutely sure you stay within your calorie guidelines.
21. Rid the house of junk. Junk food can be defined as anything that’s not included in your diet. If you share your home with other non-dieters who balk at the idea of a cupboard bare of munchies, refer back to number one!
22. Don’t shop hungry. All kinds of things can end up in your shopping cart because they look interesting. Prepare a list and stick to it.
23. Don’t shop in stores that have bulk food sections. Just one of those innocent-looking chocolate covered peanut clusters is loaded with sugar and fat. And who eats just one?
24. Don’t pick. If you’re cooking for more than one, you can “taste yourself” right out of the ball park calorically. Adjust questionable seasoning at the table once your portion is measured.
25. Don’t’ guess. Weigh or measure everything first. How many calories are in that bowl of low-fat granola? I asked an old girlfriend as she was about to pour on the milk. She thought her portion was okay. I weighed it for her and shocked her with the information that she was about to consume 800 calories worth of granola - before the milk! Definitely NOT okay.
26. Stay out of the kitchen. Fix your meal, eat, put the dish in the dishwasher and leave. Go hang out someplace else.
27. Don’t watch the commercials. Leave the room; go get a drink of water; make a phone call; check your e-mail, etc. For some reason, food manufacturers come out with scrumptious new products and market the daylights out of them just when you happen to be trying to stick to your diet. This phenomenon is particularly more prevalent at night.
28. Make the news of your diet public. Hopefully, friends and family will show some compassion and not invite you out for pizza and ice cream.
29. Never stray too far from a mirror. When all else fails and your willpower is failing, peel off, stand under a good light, and check yourself out in the mirror. You are your own best critic. Regardless of how good or bad you look, a trip to the fridge will be unlikely after you assess your body.
30. Compliment yourself. Positive reinforcement, even if it's self generated, can do wonders for your attitude as well as your willpower.
31. Bring your food. Don’t count on being able to find a restaurant willing to weigh and measure your food and cook it without lard. Make your meals ahead of time and bring them along with you.
32. Avoid fad diets. If they actually do work, they won’t work for long. The only way to lose fat is as easy as 1, 2 and 3.
33. Spice up your food and drink green tea. Cayenne pepper, ginger, chili powder and picante sauce not only make meals interesting without adding significant calories, but studies have shown that these spices as well as green tea have a thermogenic effect that helps burn more fat.
34. Don’t carry cash. If your purse is empty, so, too, will be your stomach, regardless of how many vending machines, Starbucks or golden arches you may pass.
35. Don’t spend too much time alone. A good conversation can carry you straight through to your next meal without even the thought of assorted chocolates.
36. Associate with other dieters. Misery loves company. Even if you end up obsessing over the foods you miss most, your egos will keep you honest.
37. Weigh yourself and get your body fat checked just once a week. Fluctuations of a pound or two, or a percent or so, are common day to day. Weekly readings should show your true progress as well as indicate if the diet you have mapped out is really working.
38. Take a “before” picture. No matter how bad you look, you can look forward to looking better. Showing off your progress is a sweet reward.
39. Make an effort to look your best. If you look as though a perfect fashion accessory would be a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans, forget it. To quote Fernando Lamas, “If you look good, you feel good”— and if you feel good about yourself, chances are less you’ll sabotage the diet.
40. Make soup. The main ingredient in soup is water. Water has no calories. The calorie allotment for one meal can be stretched quite far by making soup out of it. A pile of veggies, a chicken breast combined with three or four cups of de-fatted chicken broth, make a huge, satisfying, low calorie meal that takes a long time to eat.
41. Order à la carte. Some kind of greasy side dish, such as French fries, home fries, coleslaw, potato salad, etc., usually accompanies semi-fast food restaurant meals regardless of how much this or that you asked to have left off. Ask your server if the side can be replaced with fresh fruit, low-fat cottage cheese, or a plain baked potato, or build a meal from single items on the menu.
42. Order sauces and salad dressings on the side. Even healthy-sounding dressings and sauces can be freighted with fat. Dipping your fork in the sauce first, then spearing the food can give you the flavor with a minimum of useless calories.
43. Have a shake. Hungry between meals? A low carb, shake is low in calories, high in protein and will help boost fat burning.
44. Don’t skip meals. Starving yourself does two things to foil the diet: First, sensing starvation, the body slows metabolic function to preserve energy and begins to rid itself of tissue that is metabolically active— the muscle you are trying to keep. Next, ravenous hunger sets in, signaling you to eat. Unfortunately, by the time you heed this signal, a tornado would carve less of a path through the refrigerator. Eat consistently to avoid overeating.
45. Be creative in the kitchen. Diet food can get boring fast, so you need a little imagination. Want pizza? A Boboli thin crust, or pita, fresh-crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs and non-fat mozzarella make a great pizza without departing too far from your diet guidelines. Want cheesecake? Nonfat cream cheese and low calorie sweeteners make it possible. A little effort goes a long way toward diet sanity.
46. Stay busy. An idle mind is the diet devil’s workshop. There are a hundred reasons to go to the fridge when you’ve got nothing to do.
47. Nighttime is the worst time. Sitting around watching TV late in the evening, even the most die-hard dieter can cave in. Keep ziplock bags filled with celery sticks, pickle spears, and sliced bell peppers in the refrigerator for easy munching. If you have a few carb calories left at the end of the day, air-popped popcorn takes up a lot of room for relatively few calories.
48. Keep the components pre-made in the refrigerator. Some cooked ground turkey breast, grilled chicken breasts, lean steak slices, boiled pasta, steamed rice, steamed veggies, low fat marinara sauce, etc., can cut meal preparation time to a minimum. The less cooking time, the less picking time.
49. Take your supplements. A high quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement should also be rich in antioxidant nutrients. This is important because burning fat creates free radicals that must be disposed of.
50. Make Jell-O. Sugar free Jell-O is great stuff; it’s fun to eat, easy to make, and practically devoid of calories— the whole box only contains 40!

And, as Mr. G says, “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP!!!”

[MartyMcFly]

Thanks for the tips John, very motivating!

[SallyAnne]

I think taking progress pictures is very motivating, and they keep you honest. (Photos don't lie.) There have been times when I feel like I've stalled - but the weekly photo I take tells me I made progress.

[AnabolLecter75]

great tips!

[JOHNNYBOY]

Good stuff john thanks

[mr.genetics]

Awesome man, thanks a lot.

[nitro]

Very good read

[galami]

I asked Dave about some of the tips. Here is what he says:


This is from 50 tips to keep you on your diet by John Romano from the Diet & Fat Loss board.
"12. Don’t eat before bed. Sleep uses little fuel— those calories are going to get stored somewhere, since there isn’t much of a chance they’ll be burned. At least two hours should pass between eating and sleeping."
Do you agree?

DP: I like to eat before bed; it gives you one last shot of aminos to repair and build muscle while you sleep.

"17. Eat foods high in fiber. Salads, leafy green vegetables, etc. fill you up with good colon-cleaning bulk with barely negligible calories."
Do you agree? Fiberlyze.

DP: Of course, this is why I created FIBERLYZE.

"33. Spice up your food and drink green tea. Cayenne pepper, ginger, chili powder and picante sauce not only make meals interesting without adding significant calories, but studies have shown that these spices as well as green tea have a thermogenic effect that helps burn more fat."
Do you agree?

DP: I don’t think it will have a huge effect, but it won’t hurt.

"40. Make soup. The main ingredient in soup is water. Water has no calories. The calorie allotment for one meal can be stretched quite far by making soup out of it. A pile of veggies, a chicken breast combined with three or four cups of de-fatted chicken broth, make a huge, satisfying, low calorie meal that takes a long time to eat."
Do you agree?

DP: Low calories are still extra calories. If you want optimal results you have to follow the plan exactly.
Source: http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthread.php?t=5&page=12


John, Dave doesn't agree with some of the tips. So don't post tips that are not right according to Dave or Dave's diet! :mad:

Makes shit fucking confusing.

[big.poppa.pump]

Good tips. Galami you should be able to figure out the shit yourself. Half of those tips are for people who have carbs in their diet. So not all the tips line up with the keto diet. But I am sure John thought you could think for yourself. That's pry his fault.

[galami]

Good tips. Galami you should be able to figure out the shit yourself. Half of those tips are for people who have carbs in their diet. So not all the tips line up with the keto diet. But I am sure John thought you could think for yourself. That's pry his fault.


Come on! What about carb wars? Part of this whole RX Muscle thing is based on carb wars! I may be 'able to figure out the shit myself' but maybe some beginners won't. This is acting carelessly. :eek:

[bigdaddyd]

Not everyone does without carbs. Good post John.

[musclefocus]

Great post John. People need to fuck Up to learn. Beginners can't be spoon feed on everything, these are all good points but I'm a huge believer of trial and error this is how everyone learns what works and does not for them.

[FLEXR6]

Great post John. People need to fuck Up to learn. Beginners can't be spoon feed on everything, these are all good points but I'm a huge believer of trial and error this is how everyone learns what works and does not for them.
Agree. I lost 32kg for my first comp in October 2007, including 5kg in the last week (which was a big mistake). In the pump up room I was horrified to see that I was still about 8-10kg overweight. Needless to say I was last. By reading things, talking to people, counting and recording every calorie I eat, changing my protein and carb and fat ratios and doing a lot of the things John has mentioned I have got to where I am today - onstage at about 7%.

[~gymdiva~]

John, Dave doesn't agree with some of the tips. So don't post tips that are not right according to Dave or Dave's diet! :mad:

Makes shit fucking confusing.

was this a serious statement? Romano has his own opinions as does Dave...and not everyone here is on Dave's plan...

[The Wolf]

John wrote on no 18, eat foods low in fat. That dont sound like your ket diet John:p. He also said avoid "fad diets" now as much as I love Daves diet, many "experts" will call it a fad diet.
But good tips there:)

[Taz]

galami you're funny - do you really think people are going to take you seriously if you post like that??

[tat2mike]

Great tips..every little bit helps.

[SLICED]

iF I follow # 3 as you suggested it will eat all my muscles. Im on Daves diet and at 70 % hr on the Stepmill would be killer. I just walk easily on the treadmill for long sessions. I also dont agree with no eating before bed.

[SLICED]

was this a serious statement? Romano has his own opinions as does Dave...and not everyone here is on Dave's plan...


but Romano IS ....

[liftn4life]

Very good read!!

[galami]

but Romano IS ....

That's right! Romano IS on DAVE's DIET. Thx SLICED.

I am not going to address each and everyone of you but let me tell you that you guys don't have an own opinion. You are busy kissing Dave's and John's asses and you're not capable of critical thinking. Use your brains and don't implicitly glorify everything the Bosses say. Damn it...

[Bob Smith Jr.]

GUYS! I think Romano's tips are for normal people, like people who don't even workout. Hence why he recommends weight training as it will speed up fat loss, so just relax.... gawd.

[whiskey]

Thanks for the tips. I help alot of elderly and seriously overweight people and this is perfect for them to read since they can't/won't do keto.

[ms.karen]

GUYS! I think Romano's tips are for normal people, like people who don't even workout. Hence why he recommends weight training as it will speed up fat loss, so just relax.... gawd.

Yeah, didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out! :bulb:

[sam the man]

thanks john ur tips helped me a lot

["Rodz"]

48. Keep the components pre-made in the refrigerator. Some cooked ground turkey breast, grilled chicken breasts, lean steak slices, boiled pasta, steamed rice, steamed veggies, low fat marinara sauce, etc., can cut meal preparation time to a minimum. The less cooking time, the less picking time.


One of the most important for me!!

[Julezz]

I just love it, thanks for the postings~Julezz

[The Big Sexy]

Great post - very true shit in there man...

[wavelength]

Here's my take:

1. agreed.
2. agreed although not because of caloric expenditure (negligible).
3. irrelevant.
4. not really necessary.
5. good rule but not that important as long as rate of weight loss is in check.
6. you can eat at the chinese buffet every day and still lose fat optimally.
7. agreed.
8. good tip.
9. excellent advise.
10. good tip.
11. good tip.
12. irrelevant.
13. irrelevant for body composition, convenience factor is individually different.
14. irrelevant.
15. excellent advise.
16. irrelevant.
17. agreed.
18. irrelevant.
19. agreed although sugar is irrelevant for fat loss.
20. good tip.
21. irrelevant for fat loss, no such thing as "junk" food.
22-27. good tips.
28. or just go out with them once in a while.
29. too much assessment can also lead to failure.
30. excellent advise.
31. one can eat out every day and still lose fat optimally.
32. excellent advise.
33. insignificant.
34. good tip.
35-39. good tips.
41. good tip.
42. good tip.
43. good tip, won't boost fat burning though.
44. see 13.
45. you can cook anything you like anyway.
46-48. good tips.
49. supplements are not required, some are convenient though.
50. good tip.

[thesamewords]

The jello is worth it!!! I just get the jello cups though.

[BLUEBARON75]

a few of these tips do help.

[Hungarian_Oak]

I think John wrote this article for an issue of MD back in 1996 or 1997. How do I remember this? It was the first bodybuilding magazine I ever bought. Btw, Cindy Margolis was on the cover, and there was an article on Kai Greene, that mentioned him eating like 20 grapefruits for breakfast, lol.

[Heavy Metal]

Thanks for the list.
As a long time on again/off again muscle builder wanna be these lists always help and even motivate me.
Numbers I will pay attention to 3,5,7,9,12,14,15,17,30,31,33,39,40,43,45,50.

[getlifted]

great tips! thanks for taking the time to write all 50....the most important thing about dieting is to find something that works and stay consistent!!!

[kron22]

I think taking progress pictures is very motivating, and they keep you honest. (Photos don't lie.) There have been times when I feel like I've stalled - but the weekly photo I take tells me I made progress.
your avi is fn smokin ass hot yum yum!

[sam the man]

i will suggest only one tip which is more powerfull then all 50,,,500 or 5000 tips

WILLPOWER
if you dont have the willpower to do it, nothing will work for you

[gamarsh1960]

Thank you John for the great tips!

[Suave_Howss]

Good read! Sent the link straight to the girlfriend! LOL

[IFBBproChristyMerritt]

Very good tips! Like was stated you CAN do it, just takes time. I will say, from experience, that what finally worked for me was competitng. I had BEEN to competitions and admired the physiques and I KNEW what I needed to do to look that way...but couldnt stick to it until I had the goal of competiting. I think just having someone else tell me what I HAD to eat and being accountable with weekly visitations (in a teeny swims) helped keep my hand out of the cookie jar.

I am currently dieting for the STL pro in March. I am taking the FIRE fat burner from ProBodySolutions and am loving it. Made the mistake of not taking it yesterday so I could nap, but my cravings were horrible...It def helps me :-)

[DieselXT]

awsome tips i have them on the back of my door and read them everyday i wake up for motivation hehe thanks to the Famous John Romano

[Albern]

There is only one way to rid your body of fat. You have to change the way you live - you have to make your body work and you have to face up to the serious reality of what a diet really is. Changing your life in such a way is not easy, but, since chocolate can be part of it, it's not impossible, and just like sex, the longer you do it the easier it gets.
However you make that commitment, once you do, the following 50 tips will influence the most positive results.

1. Accept the facts. There’s no magic involved in getting your body to liberate stored fat. You must change the way you live and the way you eat. In other words, exercise your body and monitor and/or limit your intake of food. Only if your energy expenditure is greater than your caloric intake, will you burn bodyfat. You must have an unwavering commitment to this fact or you will fail.
2. Maintain or increase muscle mass. Specifically, do weight training. Muscle is metabolically active— it requires calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you need to sustain it, the more food you can eat and still bring down your level of bodyfat.
3. Do your cardio. Forty-five minutes on a stair climber or treadmill with your heart rate at 70 percent of VO2 max will not only burn about 500 calories, but it will also keep your metabolism elevated for up to six hours post exercise.
4. Know Your Stats. Unless you know from experience what works for you, hook up with one of the many specialized diet and nutrition councilors and get the computerized body assessment done so that you know precisely what to eat and when to eat it. Or, just call Dave Palumbo.
5. Don't Cheat. Be conscious of your will power— you and only you are in control of what you eat. Exercise this power absolutely. Who’s going to know if you are a little heavy handed on the salad dressing? You are - don't lie to yourself - Only eat what your diet allows — NO CHEATING! Except Sundays……
6. Allow yourself a treat. All diet and no fun can make you nuts. No more than once a week, really indulge in those things you miss. I wouldn't recommend this if you are close to an event for which you are preparing, but your basic long-term "diet" will be unaffected by a weekly splurge at Godiva or eating at China Express and not getting the bourbon chicken.
7. Don’t punish yourself. If you do go off the deep end and really, really blow it big time, go right back to where you left off. You can’t compensate by starving yourself or over-aerobicising. No matter what you ate or however much, three days back on the program will erase any clue.
8. Picture the end result. Look in the mirror and ponder the future. Imagine what you’ll look like when you reach your goal. Use the image to make good decisions.
9. Be Realistic. You didn't gain all your weight in two weeks, so it's going to take more than two weeks to take it off. A half pound to a pound a week is all you should ever hope to lose - if that. A slow steady metamorphosis is underway.
10. Attach a photo of yourself in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Every time you open the door you’ll see it and it will motivate you to do the right thing. If you’ve never been in killer shape…
11. Attach a picture of someone else in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Pick someone who's got the body you want and stick it on the door to the fridge. Seeing that, there is less chance you’ll decide to do the wrong thing.
12. Don’t eat before bed. Sleep uses little fuel— those calories are going to get stored somewhere, since there isn’t much of a chance they’ll be burned. At least two hours should pass between eating and sleeping.
13. Eat Consistently throughout the day. No more than three to four hours should pass between meals. Spacing meals keeps your energy levels constant and prevents ravenous hunger.
14. If you eat carbs eat low-glycemic carbohydrates. Slow-burning carbs, such as beans, yams and whole grains, will keep your blood sugar stable. Sugars found in some fruits, fruit juices, refined and processed foods cause wild fluctuations in insulin. Insulin bursts enhance fat storage plus they can leave you feeling starved and foraging for more to eat.
15. Trust the System. Within a certain range, humans all follow the same metabolic pathways. No human has the ability to send a brownie straight to their thigh. We all pretty much work the same - we certainly all get fat the same way. We also lose fat the same way - every one of us. If someone else can do it, so can you. It happens all the time.
16. Take your fat burners. Studies prove thermogenic supplements help the body burn more fat and preserve lean body mass while suppressing appetite and elevating your energy level.
17. Eat foods high in fiber. Salads, leafy green vegetables, etc. fill you up with good colon-cleaning bulk with barely negligible calories. Just watch the dressing!
18. Eat foods low in fat. No more than 20 percent of the calories per serving should come from fat. How does one figure this out? (See 19.)
19. Read the labels! Loads of fat and sugar are innocently consumed, hidden under label claims of “fat free,” "lean," “light,” “low fat,” etc. FDA labeling claims are based on net weight, not calories. So do the math! Multiply the fat grams by 9 to get the number of calories from fat there are per serving and you will have a much different picture than the label claims. Sugars are also listed separate of total carbohydrates. While the number of carbs may be low, most of them could be coming from sugar (refer back to number 14 for why that's bad).
20. Keep a diet journal. Writing down everything you eat and drink, as well as computing the calories of each macro nutrient, is the only way to be absolutely sure you stay within your calorie guidelines.
21. Rid the house of junk. Junk food can be defined as anything that’s not included in your diet. If you share your home with other non-dieters who balk at the idea of a cupboard bare of munchies, refer back to number one!
22. Don’t shop hungry. All kinds of things can end up in your shopping cart because they look interesting. Prepare a list and stick to it.
23. Don’t shop in stores that have bulk food sections. Just one of those innocent-looking chocolate covered peanut clusters is loaded with sugar and fat. And who eats just one?
24. Don’t pick. If you’re cooking for more than one, you can “taste yourself” right out of the ball park calorically. Adjust questionable seasoning at the table once your portion is measured.
25. Don’t’ guess. Weigh or measure everything first. How many calories are in that bowl of low-fat granola? I asked an old girlfriend as she was about to pour on the milk. She thought her portion was okay. I weighed it for her and shocked her with the information that she was about to consume 800 calories worth of granola - before the milk! Definitely NOT okay.
26. Stay out of the kitchen. Fix your meal, eat, put the dish in the dishwasher and leave. Go hang out someplace else.
27. Don’t watch the commercials. Leave the room; go get a drink of water; make a phone call; check your e-mail, etc. For some reason, food manufacturers come out with scrumptious new products and market the daylights out of them just when you happen to be trying to stick to your diet. This phenomenon is particularly more prevalent at night.
28. Make the news of your diet public. Hopefully, friends and family will show some compassion and not invite you out for pizza and ice cream.
29. Never stray too far from a mirror. When all else fails and your willpower is failing, peel off, stand under a good light, and check yourself out in the mirror. You are your own best critic. Regardless of how good or bad you look, a trip to the fridge will be unlikely after you assess your body.
30. Compliment yourself. Positive reinforcement, even if it's self generated, can do wonders for your attitude as well as your willpower.
31. Bring your food. Don’t count on being able to find a restaurant willing to weigh and measure your food and cook it without lard. Make your meals ahead of time and bring them along with you.
32. Avoid fad diets. If they actually do work, they won’t work for long. The only way to lose fat is as easy as 1, 2 and 3.
33. Spice up your food and drink green tea. Cayenne pepper, ginger, chili powder and picante sauce not only make meals interesting without adding significant calories, but studies have shown that these spices as well as green tea have a thermogenic effect that helps burn more fat.
34. Don’t carry cash. If your purse is empty, so, too, will be your stomach, regardless of how many vending machines, Starbucks or golden arches you may pass.
35. Don’t spend too much time alone. A good conversation can carry you straight through to your next meal without even the thought of assorted chocolates.
36. Associate with other dieters. Misery loves company. Even if you end up obsessing over the foods you miss most, your egos will keep you honest.
37. Weigh yourself and get your body fat checked just once a week. Fluctuations of a pound or two, or a percent or so, are common day to day. Weekly readings should show your true progress as well as indicate if the diet you have mapped out is really working.
38. Take a “before” picture. No matter how bad you look, you can look forward to looking better. Showing off your progress is a sweet reward.
39. Make an effort to look your best. If you look as though a perfect fashion accessory would be a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans, forget it. To quote Fernando Lamas, “If you look good, you feel good”— and if you feel good about yourself, chances are less you’ll sabotage the diet.
40. Make soup. The main ingredient in soup is water. Water has no calories. The calorie allotment for one meal can be stretched quite far by making soup out of it. A pile of veggies, a chicken breast combined with three or four cups of de-fatted chicken broth, make a huge, satisfying, low calorie meal that takes a long time to eat.
41. Order à la carte. Some kind of greasy side dish, such as French fries, home fries, coleslaw, potato salad, etc., usually accompanies semi-fast food restaurant meals regardless of how much this or that you asked to have left off. Ask your server if the side can be replaced with fresh fruit, low-fat cottage cheese, or a plain baked potato, or build a meal from single items on the menu.
42. Order sauces and salad dressings on the side. Even healthy-sounding dressings and sauces can be freighted with fat. Dipping your fork in the sauce first, then spearing the food can give you the flavor with a minimum of useless calories.
43. Have a shake. Hungry between meals? A low carb, shake is low in calories, high in protein and will help boost fat burning.
44. Don’t skip meals. Starving yourself does two things to foil the diet: First, sensing starvation, the body slows metabolic function to preserve energy and begins to rid itself of tissue that is metabolically active— the muscle you are trying to keep. Next, ravenous hunger sets in, signaling you to eat. Unfortunately, by the time you heed this signal, a tornado would carve less of a path through the refrigerator. Eat consistently to avoid overeating.
45. Be creative in the kitchen. Diet food can get boring fast, so you need a little imagination. Want pizza? A Boboli thin crust, or pita, fresh-crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs and non-fat mozzarella make a great pizza without departing too far from your diet guidelines. Want cheesecake? Nonfat cream cheese and low calorie sweeteners make it possible. A little effort goes a long way toward diet sanity.
46. Stay busy. An idle mind is the diet devil’s workshop. There are a hundred reasons to go to the fridge when you’ve got nothing to do.
47. Nighttime is the worst time. Sitting around watching TV late in the evening, even the most die-hard dieter can cave in. Keep ziplock bags filled with celery sticks, pickle spears, and sliced bell peppers in the refrigerator for easy munching. If you have a few carb calories left at the end of the day, air-popped popcorn takes up a lot of room for relatively few calories.
48. Keep the components pre-made in the refrigerator. Some cooked ground turkey breast, grilled chicken breasts, lean steak slices, boiled pasta, steamed rice, steamed veggies, low fat marinara sauce, etc., can cut meal preparation time to a minimum. The less cooking time, the less picking time.
49. Take your supplements. A high quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement should also be rich in antioxidant nutrients. This is important because burning fat creates free radicals that must be disposed of.
50. Make Jell-O. Sugar free Jell-O is great stuff; it’s fun to eat, easy to make, and practically devoid of calories— the whole box only contains 40!

And, as Mr. G says, “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP!!!”

Thanks dear Romano for the 50 tips to get better diet, these are really awesome and I think if some one had to follow that one's he got find better result's ......

[akon]

Your tips are not only helpful but also very motivational
for the healthy diet and nutrition.

[GottaGetLean]

Hello dear if the tips are not motivated and are only motivational than that's are not too bad because if some one motivated from these than he learn's allot from these and have a good life for ever.... What you think....?el cerrito personal trainer (http://www.eastbaytrainer.com/el-cerrito-personal-trainer/)

wtf r u saying..:dunno:

[JohnnyStyles]

This still helps every now & then...!!!

[Muscgrows]

great tips!

[antonbrn]

I finally read this whole thing, and found it full of great tips. Thanks John, wherever you are.

[Cdimeo]

most people with serious dieting problems haven't grasped the mindset that we eat to fuel, not to savor. BBers know that if youre f'n starving-you would eat cardboard if it gave you the protein content. And after weeks of fish or dry chicken or whatever the hell you eat--cardboard might be a tasty option LOL

[tmno]

i agree with those tips, change of lifestyle and diet and good motivation is great. Nice tip with the jell-O

[Muscgrows]

most people with serious dieting problems haven't grasped the mindset that we eat to fuel, not to savor. BBers know that if youre f'n starving-you would eat cardboard if it gave you the protein content. And after weeks of fish or dry chicken or whatever the hell you eat--cardboard might be a tasty option LOL
:drool: After a few weeks of Keto, cardboard is certainly welcomed. LOL!

[AnnClaiborne]

Some really good tips although I don't agree with all of them. Finding what works best for YOUR body is what its all about. Personally, I think finding the right supplements that keep you on track like a good fat burner/thermogenic (I like the ProBody Solutions Burn) keeps me focused. The more knowledge you have about how your body works the better. I find the "off-season" is a great time to try new things.

[dianne]

John, these are great tips! I'm actually new to this forum but I'm active on several others and I have to say, it's the first thread on diet tips that I find useful and I can tell that you actually know what you're talking about. Someone here said that you basically need to figure out what works for yourself and that there are no general rules that can apply to everyone. That's true, but we do need some guidelines, a starting point. When I'm dieting, I have no problem with watching my calories or midnight cravings, but I tend to obsess over the scale. I even stopped using a regular one and switched to a Quantum scale (it doesn't display a number, but informs you if you lost or gain weight since your last weigh in) because I figured it would help with my anxiety levels whenever my weekly weigh ins are up. My friend however has no problem with the scale or self esteem, but she just can't go to bed without grabbing a snack (and you mentioned here that that's not advisable).
So yeah, it all depends on your training program, your body type and everything, but I feel like these are great guide lines to keep in mind.

diane

[MrChristianB]

Awesome post, and I especially like using the photo of yourself in killer shape/your best shape as it definitely motivates you that much more e.g. I look at my past photos when dieting and I'm like "man if I've been there before I can get there again, and not only can I get there again but I can absolutely smash my previous results!".

Thanks for the motivation John

[BlueBaron]

You sir, are correct! lol




GUYS! I think Romano's tips are for normal people, like people who don't even workout. Hence why he recommends weight training as it will speed up fat loss, so just relax.... gawd.

[georgeman22]

Wow John Romano great tips man it will really beneficial for me dude.

[georgeman22]

Wow these are awesome tips. Really helpful for new comers as well. Thanks.

[nickthegreek]

This is my first post on this board so hi everyone!

This was a really great read. I was in the best shape of my life around June this year at 10% body fat at 6ft tall and 192 pounds, since mid July i fell off my diet big time and am now 207 pounds and about 14% body fat.

I aim to get back down to 192 pound and but slightly leaner 8% body fat by end of October for my vacation to LA this year so this article definitely will come in handy!

Thanks

[seanmech]

How have i missed this Article after nearly 4 yearz lol

[Sunnyday]

Hello everyone,
Today im soo well and soo happy. now im felling so free. i can easily move, I can sit down anywhere. i can easily put off dress. all this thing make me happy.im success to loss my extra weight.
2 month ago I was 98kg and now Im only 51kg! can you belive it?
In past, all day and night I work hardly, exercise more, I did starving many night, I didn’t eat more, I did work hard but I didn’t get any result of my weight loss. oneday in gym clab my one friend suggest me to use a product. for easily diet in short time. then I manage this product and I used this product for my diet and now I get a glorious result soo happy for me. its a good news for all. now I want to share this product to you, because I want that it will brought a good news and happy moment for you. And thank you 3week diets and thanks all member of this forum.

He is going http://www.rapidfatburns.com/diet-body you may check it out if you want to loss weight in only 3week like as me.or otherwise you may still in fat & more weight!

Let me make sure I understand you correctly. 98-51=47 kg, multiply that by 2.5 that equals 117.5 lbs. You mean to tell me you lost 118 lbs in 8 weeks?! I'm not sure whether to say congratulations or not, depending on your age/height/body composition. That is a tremendous amount of weight to lose for anyone.

[Todd Lincoln]

Let me make sure I understand you correctly. 98-51=47 kg, multiply that by 2.5 that equals 117.5 lbs. You mean to tell me you lost 118 lbs in 8 weeks?! I'm not sure whether to say congratulations or not, depending on your age/height/body composition. That is a tremendous amount of weight to lose for anyone.Ride the snake....https://youtu.be/xZqmuwVjoJY

[Sunnyday]

Ride the snake....https://youtu.be/xZqmuwVjoJY

LOL! Exactly!

[uppick980]

Informative post shared thanx

[smithdaewon]

Good stuff Jhon, thanks for sharing.

[Curt James]

Informative post shared thanx


Good stuff Jhon, thanks for sharing.

(eyes you both suspiciously)

And the SNL video embedded:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZqmuwVjoJY

[smithdaewon]

(eyes you both suspiciously)

And the SNL video embedded:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZqmuwVjoJY


Thanks :D Curt James (http://forums.rxmuscle.com/member.php?241-Curt-James) for your special attention, Is there anything wrong that I have said earlier in any of my post????

Anyway I really enjoy by reading your informative post related to fitness and I really appreciate your dedication towards it.

[sachin.shubham]

There is only one way to rid your body of fat. You have to change the way you live - you have to make your body work and you have to face up to the serious reality of what a diet really is. Changing your life in such a way is not easy, but, since chocolate can be part of it, it's not impossible, and just like sex, the longer you do it the easier it gets.
However you make that commitment, once you do, the following 50 tips will influence the most positive results.

1. Accept the facts. There’s no magic involved in getting your body to liberate stored fat. You must change the way you live and the way you eat. In other words, exercise your body and monitor and/or limit your intake of food. Only if your energy expenditure is greater than your caloric intake, will you burn bodyfat. You must have an unwavering commitment to this fact or you will fail.
2. Maintain or increase muscle mass. Specifically, do weight training. Muscle is metabolically active— it requires calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you need to sustain it, the more food you can eat and still bring down your level of bodyfat.
3. Do your cardio. Forty-five minutes on a stair climber or treadmill with your heart rate at 70 percent of VO2 max will not only burn about 500 calories, but it will also keep your metabolism elevated for up to six hours post exercise.
4. Know Your Stats. Unless you know from experience what works for you, hook up with one of the many specialized diet and nutrition councilors and get the computerized body assessment done so that you know precisely what to eat and when to eat it. Or, just call Dave Palumbo.
5. Don't Cheat. Be conscious of your will power— you and only you are in control of what you eat. Exercise this power absolutely. Who’s going to know if you are a little heavy handed on the salad dressing? You are - don't lie to yourself - Only eat what your diet allows — NO CHEATING! Except Sundays……
6. Allow yourself a treat. All diet and no fun can make you nuts. No more than once a week, really indulge in those things you miss. I wouldn't recommend this if you are close to an event for which you are preparing, but your basic long-term "diet" will be unaffected by a weekly splurge at Godiva or eating at China Express and not getting the bourbon chicken.
7. Don’t punish yourself. If you do go off the deep end and really, really blow it big time, go right back to where you left off. You can’t compensate by starving yourself or over-aerobicising. No matter what you ate or however much, three days back on the program will erase any clue.
8. Picture the end result. Look in the mirror and ponder the future. Imagine what you’ll look like when you reach your goal. Use the image to make good decisions.
9. Be Realistic. You didn't gain all your weight in two weeks, so it's going to take more than two weeks to take it off. A half pound to a pound a week is all you should ever hope to lose - if that. A slow steady metamorphosis is underway.
10. Attach a photo of yourself in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Every time you open the door you’ll see it and it will motivate you to do the right thing. If you’ve never been in killer shape…
11. Attach a picture of someone else in killer shape to the refrigerator door. Pick someone who's got the body you want and stick it on the door to the fridge. Seeing that, there is less chance you’ll decide to do the wrong thing.
12. Don’t eat before bed. Sleep uses little fuel— those calories are going to get stored somewhere, since there isn’t much of a chance they’ll be burned. At least two hours should pass between eating and sleeping.
13. Eat Consistently throughout the day. No more than three to four hours should pass between meals. Spacing meals keeps your energy levels constant and prevents ravenous hunger.
14. If you eat carbs eat low-glycemic carbohydrates. Slow-burning carbs, such as beans, yams and whole grains, will keep your blood sugar stable. Sugars found in some fruits, fruit juices, refined and processed foods cause wild fluctuations in insulin. Insulin bursts enhance fat storage plus they can leave you feeling starved and foraging for more to eat.
15. Trust the System. Within a certain range, humans all follow the same metabolic pathways. No human has the ability to send a brownie straight to their thigh. We all pretty much work the same - we certainly all get fat the same way. We also lose fat the same way - every one of us. If someone else can do it, so can you. It happens all the time.
16. Take your fat burners. Studies prove thermogenic supplements help the body burn more fat and preserve lean body mass while suppressing appetite and elevating your energy level.
17. Eat foods high in fiber. Salads, leafy green vegetables, etc. fill you up with good colon-cleaning bulk with barely negligible calories. Just watch the dressing!
18. Eat foods low in fat. No more than 20 percent of the calories per serving should come from fat. How does one figure this out? (See 19.)
19. Read the labels! Loads of fat and sugar are innocently consumed, hidden under label claims of “fat free,” "lean," “light,” “low fat,” etc. FDA labeling claims are based on net weight, not calories. So do the math! Multiply the fat grams by 9 to get the number of calories from fat there are per serving and you will have a much different picture than the label claims. Sugars are also listed separate of total carbohydrates. While the number of carbs may be low, most of them could be coming from sugar (refer back to number 14 for why that's bad).
20. Keep a diet journal. Writing down everything you eat and drink, as well as computing the calories of each macro nutrient, is the only way to be absolutely sure you stay within your calorie guidelines.
21. Rid the house of junk. Junk food can be defined as anything that’s not included in your diet. If you share your home with other non-dieters who balk at the idea of a cupboard bare of munchies, refer back to number one!
22. Don’t shop hungry. All kinds of things can end up in your shopping cart because they look interesting. Prepare a list and stick to it.
23. Don’t shop in stores that have bulk food sections. Just one of those innocent-looking chocolate covered peanut clusters is loaded with sugar and fat. And who eats just one?
24. Don’t pick. If you’re cooking for more than one, you can “taste yourself” right out of the ball park calorically. Adjust questionable seasoning at the table once your portion is measured.
25. Don’t’ guess. Weigh or measure everything first. How many calories are in that bowl of low-fat granola? I asked an old girlfriend as she was about to pour on the milk. She thought her portion was okay. I weighed it for her and shocked her with the information that she was about to consume 800 calories worth of granola - before the milk! Definitely NOT okay.
26. Stay out of the kitchen. Fix your meal, eat, put the dish in the dishwasher and leave. Go hang out someplace else.
27. Don’t watch the commercials. Leave the room; go get a drink of water; make a phone call; check your e-mail, etc. For some reason, food manufacturers come out with scrumptious new products and market the daylights out of them just when you happen to be trying to stick to your diet. This phenomenon is particularly more prevalent at night.
28. Make the news of your diet public. Hopefully, friends and family will show some compassion and not invite you out for pizza and ice cream.
29. Never stray too far from a mirror. When all else fails and your willpower is failing, peel off, stand under a good light, and check yourself out in the mirror. You are your own best critic. Regardless of how good or bad you look, a trip to the fridge will be unlikely after you assess your body.
30. Compliment yourself. Positive reinforcement, even if it's self generated, can do wonders for your attitude as well as your willpower.
31. Bring your food. Don’t count on being able to find a restaurant willing to weigh and measure your food and cook it without lard. Make your meals ahead of time and bring them along with you.
32. Avoid fad diets. If they actually do work, they won’t work for long. The only way to lose fat is as easy as 1, 2 and 3.
33. Spice up your food and drink green tea. Cayenne pepper, ginger, chili powder and picante sauce not only make meals interesting without adding significant calories, but studies have shown that these spices as well as green tea have a thermogenic effect that helps burn more fat.
34. Don’t carry cash. If your purse is empty, so, too, will be your stomach, regardless of how many vending machines, Starbucks or golden arches you may pass.
35. Don’t spend too much time alone. A good conversation can carry you straight through to your next meal without even the thought of assorted chocolates.
36. Associate with other dieters. Misery loves company. Even if you end up obsessing over the foods you miss most, your egos will keep you honest.
37. Weigh yourself and get your body fat checked just once a week. Fluctuations of a pound or two, or a percent or so, are common day to day. Weekly readings should show your true progress as well as indicate if the diet you have mapped out is really working.
38. Take a “before” picture. No matter how bad you look, you can look forward to looking better. Showing off your progress is a sweet reward.
39. Make an effort to look your best. If you look as though a perfect fashion accessory would be a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans, forget it. To quote Fernando Lamas, “If you look good, you feel good”— and if you feel good about yourself, chances are less you’ll sabotage the diet.
40. Make soup. The main ingredient in soup is water. Water has no calories. The calorie allotment for one meal can be stretched quite far by making soup out of it. A pile of veggies, a chicken breast combined with three or four cups of de-fatted chicken broth, make a huge, satisfying, low calorie meal that takes a long time to eat.
41. Order à la carte. Some kind of greasy side dish, such as French fries, home fries, coleslaw, potato salad, etc., usually accompanies semi-fast food restaurant meals regardless of how much this or that you asked to have left off. Ask your server if the side can be replaced with fresh fruit, low-fat cottage cheese, or a plain baked potato, or build a meal from single items on the menu.
42. Order sauces and salad dressings on the side. Even healthy-sounding dressings and sauces can be freighted with fat. Dipping your fork in the sauce first, then spearing the food can give you the flavor with a minimum of useless calories.
43. Have a shake. Hungry between meals? A low carb, shake is low in calories, high in protein and will help boost fat burning.
44. Don’t skip meals. Starving yourself does two things to foil the diet: First, sensing starvation, the body slows metabolic function to preserve energy and begins to rid itself of tissue that is metabolically active— the muscle you are trying to keep. Next, ravenous hunger sets in, signaling you to eat. Unfortunately, by the time you heed this signal, a tornado would carve less of a path through the refrigerator. Eat consistently to avoid overeating.
45. Be creative in the kitchen. Diet food can get boring fast, so you need a little imagination. Want pizza? A Boboli thin crust, or pita, fresh-crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs and non-fat mozzarella make a great pizza without departing too far from your diet guidelines. Want cheesecake? Nonfat cream cheese and low calorie sweeteners make it possible. A little effort goes a long way toward diet sanity.
46. Stay busy. An idle mind is the diet devil’s workshop. There are a hundred reasons to go to the fridge when you’ve got nothing to do.
47. Nighttime is the worst time. Sitting around watching TV late in the evening, even the most die-hard dieter can cave in. Keep ziplock bags filled with celery sticks, pickle spears, and sliced bell peppers in the refrigerator for easy munching. If you have a few carb calories left at the end of the day, air-popped popcorn takes up a lot of room for relatively few calories.
48. Keep the components pre-made in the refrigerator. Some cooked ground turkey breast, grilled chicken breasts, lean steak slices, boiled pasta, steamed rice, steamed veggies, low fat marinara sauce, etc., can cut meal preparation time to a minimum. The less cooking time, the less picking time.
49. Take your supplements. A high quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement should also be rich in antioxidant nutrients. This is important because burning fat creates free radicals that must be disposed of.
50. Make Jell-O. Sugar free Jell-O is great stuff; it’s fun to eat, easy to make, and practically devoid of calories— the whole box only contains 40!

And, as Mr. G says, “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE UP!!!”

Thanks for awesome tips on diet.

[Ezeradavis]

Thanks a lots for your crucial tips regarding to diet.

[musclegenetics1]

awesome post!

[drorlevi]

Wow! its great tips regarding to diet for a health.

[RedRage]

Thanks! Cool tips, added them to the favorites

NEVER GIVE UP!

[GeorgeFowell]

Thanks for sharing good tips.

[JesseG]

"Stay out of the kitchen. Fix your meal, eat, put the dish in the dishwasher and leave. Go hang out someplace else." Love this! This thread is really helpful. Thank you for posting this.

[hemantlatawa]

30% Workout and 70% Diet is the best way for shape any kind of body

[JudoCameo]

Thanks for the effort. This is really helpful!

[tracymiramichi]

"Stay out of the kitchen. Fix your meal, eat, put the dish in the dishwasher and leave. Go hang out someplace else." Love this! This thread is really helpful. Thank you for posting this.

Doing this! It's really simple but we seldom do it just because we are allowed to not do it at all. But yeah, it's all about self-discipline.

[jeffersonsam]

I always following natural food diet in my daily life. I never take junk food item and also processed food items. I drink plenty of water and doing simple workout. I follow healthy food diet and regularly doing simple workout in my daily life. This is helps me to keep my body healthy.