Taking the ‘die’ out of diet

MANILA, Philippines - The country is just days away from blazing temps and that means gearing up for sand, sun, sea and… swimwear.

If you are concerned about a few extra bulges, no worries. You still have a few more weeks to shed the pounds.

The key is to begin with the end in mind: think of how great you will look in that swimsuit when you are on the beach or by the pool. No more self-conscious tugging and pulling and cover-ups.

Then, break down your goals into achievable increments. Instead of thinking of losing, say, 10 pounds by a certain date, think of weekly goals. Shedding only two pounds a week will mean a total weight loss of 10 pounds in five weeks — that’s still the height of beach weather.

You can then work toward your incremental goals by ditching calorie-laden soft drinks and sweetened iced teas, not skipping your workouts, and looking for high-fiber alternatives to those dreaded carbs.

Finally, enjoy the process. Nothing is more painful than joyless dieting. Think that even if you cut down on your favorite food and drinks, you only need to go on a delicious journey of discovery to find other foods that won’t make you feel deprived.

Take carbs, for instance. It’s every dieter’s biggest challenge, providing energy the body needs but also taking the bulk of the blame for excess weight.

Thing is, the latter is true only if you choose the wrong kind of carbs.

In fact, the Mayo Clinic says, “Contrary to what some weight-loss diets claim, very few studies show that a diet rich in healthy carbohydrates leads to weight gain or obesity.”

The keywords here are “healthy carbohydrates.”

“Evidence shows that eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains can help you control your weight. Their bulk and fiber content aids weight control by helping you feel full on fewer calories,” the Mayo Clinic says.

Luckily, Gardenia has found a way to make fiber in whole grains so delicious and appealing you won’t feel deprived at all. And Gardenia has devoted a whole line to it — allowing you to mix things up, match with yummy and creative recipes, and avoid the feeling of “sawa.”

Gardenia’s High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread, made from 100 percent real premium wheat, is the largest-selling of its kind on the market — and with good reason. It delivers 20 percent of daily fiber needs, plus it provides good digestion, heart health and feeling full longer. Of course, having real honey as its natural sweetener makes it great-tasting.

Then there’s Gardenia’s Slim ‘N Fit Wheaten Bread with L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is a substance that picks up fats and transports it to the fat-burning chamber of cells. During physical activities or exercises, L-Carnitine clears the excess fat and other fatty acid residues from the body and while doing that, it creates energy. So Slim ‘N Fit Wheaten Bread is great for physical activities such as dancing, swimming, basketball, tennis, boxing, long distance running, and cycling.

If you want deliciousness in spades, Gardenia’s new Wheat Cranberry Loaf is a must-buy. It’s studded with sweetened dried cranberries that are tangy and add a flavorful dimension to your sandwich meals.

For something more classic, pick up a bag of Gardenia High Fiber Wheat Raisin Loaf. It can provide almost a third of daily dietary fiber which is crucial in healthy weight loss. Pack a delicious tuna or poached chicken breast sandwich using Gardenia High Fiber Wheat Raisin Loaf for lunch, or cube and fry on a little unsalted butter for the tastiest croutons on your clear soup dinner.

So forget the “die” in diet. To get to the ideal weight for summer, begin with the end in mind, break down weight goals into achievable weekly increments, and enjoy the process with maximum deliciousness.