If you are one of the millions making their New Year’s resolution to finally get healthy and lose a little weight, don’t make the mistake of trying to lose as much weight as possible in the shortest amount of time by following a fad diet. Some diets can “kick start” weight loss, but keeping weight off requires the commitment to maintain healthy lifestyle habits for the long haul. Instead of making temporary diet changes, work on making healthy changes that will last a lifetime. Don’t change more than what you can live with or you won’t stick with it. It takes 3-4 weeks to make something a habit so make small achievable goals and move on as each one becomes a habit in your new healthy lifestyle.
Get physical every day. Participate in physical activities you enjoy and change activities when you are bored with your current routine. Pick up some weights; increasing muscle mass will help boost your metabolism. Aim for walking 10,000 steps a day. Many free fitness apps are available to keep you motivated and on track.
Cut out empty calories. Limit excessive intake of “junk” foods. Even fat free cookies and crackers can contribute to weight gain. Keep a food diary for a week or two and see where you are consuming extra calories.
Curb liquid calories. Avoid sodas, fruity drinks, juices, cappuccinos, and fitness waters with calories. Cutting out one 200 calorie drink/day will lead to a 20 lb weight loss in one year! Eat your fruit rather than drink it.
Eat at least 1200 calories a day. Cutting back on calories too much can make your body hold on to fat, lose muscle, and slow your metabolism.
Think HEALTHY, not just SKINNY! Weigh yourself weekly. Let your clothes be the judge-remember 1 pound of muscle takes up less space than 1 pound of fat. Your weight may not change much, but you may see big changes in blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, triglycerides, and pant size.
Don’t lose more than 2 pounds/week. Losing more weight than that will likely include muscle and water. We want to lose FAT, not muscle. Keeping muscle will help you stay lean for life.
Keep healthy foods stocked in your kitchen. Fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, lean protein sources such as chicken, fish, soy, turkey, eggs, part-skim mozzarella, cottage cheese and yogurt; healthy fats such as olives, avocado, nuts and seeds.
Eat 5 or more fruits and veggies every day. Sneak veggies into soups, casseroles, and pasta sauce. Eat a salad or snack on veggies before the main part of your meal to prevent overeating higher calorie foods. Half of your plate should be low-starch vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, etc.
Fill up on Fiber. Beans, fruits, veggies, and whole grains can help fill you up & control blood sugar. High fiber diets (around 30 g/day) help with weight control.
Drink water, unsweetened teas, or herb teas. These are calorie free and will keep your mouth occupied. Avoid diet sodas and drinks artificially sweetened as they may not help with weight loss, and may actually contribute to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.
Bake, roast, or broil instead of frying. These cooking methods can help cut out unhealthy fats.
Practice mindful eating. Eat slowly and listen to your stomach. Rank your hunger on a scale of 1-10 (1 is starving and 10 is stuffed). You should STOP eating when you are at 6. In 20 minutes you will feel satisfied at about a 7-8. Keep a journal if you are eating when you are not hungry to track the emotions you are feeling at the time.
Eat small frequent meals with adequate protein, healthy carbs, and a little fat. This will help keep you satisfied, control your blood sugar levels, and maintain energy levels.
Instead of juice, eat a piece of fruit. The fiber in the fruit will satisfy you longer. You are more likely to take in more calories drinking juices.
Make it a family affair. It is important to have the whole family learn to eat better..not just the dieter. Emphasize healthy changes for life.
Always eat a high fiber breakfast with some protein. Breakfast eaters manage their weight better than breakfast skippers and tend to be leaner.
Allow yourself a treat. Allow some room for a treat now and then. Practice the 80-20 rule where 80% of the time you are eating healthy foods and staying active. The other 20% can be spent how you like then resume healthy activities as usual.
2013 Megan Witt, RD, LD