Though the OPTIFAST products provided by medical weight loss doctors can simplify your diet considerably, you will inevitably need to return to the world of normal food once your program is completed. Still, the unhealthy treats you once enjoyed will need to stay out of your diet if you hope to sustain your weight loss, and you may think this means the end of flavor forever.
It doesn’t. If you give them a chance, healthy foods can expand your palate and become unexpected favorites. We live in a world that’s absolutely brimming with different dietary options, and many of the most nutritious ones are also the most delicious. To keep eating healthy, all you need to do is find the healthy foods you like best.
Regardless of how far you’ve progressed with medical weight loss, now is the time to start learning to love your diet. If you hope to leave excess weight behind you, you’ll need to also leave unhealthy food behind you, and this means finding satisfaction in a diet without the empty calories of the comfort foods you once enjoyed.
Ready to love your diet? Stay on the path to long-term success by:
- Being your own chef. Sometimes, all it takes to increase your interest in the food you eat is becoming more involved in the way it’s cooked. Now that you’re working to maintain your weight loss, fast food and prepackaged meals should be off the menu, so it’s up to you to start preparing high-quality meals at home that thrill your taste buds. Try new recipes, explore new ingredients and combinations of ingredients, buy a new appliance, take a cooking class—do your best to improve your culinary capabilities and bring out the best flavors in healthy foods.
- Making mealtime more fun. Sharing your meals with others can help you enjoy them more. Try to get your whole household involved in healthy eating. Ask your significant other, your children or your roommate to help out in the kitchen or join you for a meal and you may be surprised by how much fun a nutritious meal can be. You can also plan a dinner party for your friends to show off your amazing new cooking skills.
- Trying again. Many of us harbor negative perceptions of certain foods after trying them only once. If you don’t like a food the first time you try it, don’t give up for good—experiment with different ways to use that ingredient until you find one that tastes better. Don’t like steamed broccoli? Try roasting or sautéing it. Convinced you’re not a fan of fish? Try a milder white fish like tilapia instead of oilier varieties like salmon. Keep an open mind and never stop exploring—the foods you’ve refused to eat since childhood may be much more palatable to you now.
A healthy diet will be much easier to stick with if you actually enjoy the foods you eat. If you’re having trouble finding healthy foods you enjoy, ask your weight loss doctor for a few recipe and ingredient recommendations.
