Love Yourself And Lose Weight In The Process

How do you learn to accept, respect, and love your current body 100%, right now, extra weight and all? To learn how to do just that, I’d like you to try a very special two-step exercise that will quickly show you how to better accept, respect, and love your body and thus make weight loss a walk in the park!

 

Step 1: Get Aware

Stop believing the old lies you have been consciously or subconsciously telling yourself about how your body is not special enough, amazing enough, or precious enough to warrant your utmost attention and care right now. For example, if you are telling yourself, “Perhaps someday when it looks better (or younger or thinner), I will take better care of my body,” you’re telling yourself a lie.

 

I’d like you to uncover all of the damaging lies that you may be telling yourself, lies that will prevent you from fully accepting and respecting your body. To help you do that, I’ve listed 21 of the most common lies, ones that my clients have found limited their ability to succeed at any weight loss plan:

 

  1. “Losing weight is expensive.” In reality, weight loss costs nothing. You don’t need to buy expensive equipment or premade meals for weight loss. And think about this: The costs of not getting fit—heart disease, diabetes, arthritis—are much higher than the costs of starting a weight loss program.

 

  1. “I don’t have enough time to exercise.” You don’t need a lot of time to get fit. You need only 8 minutes. That’s right, just 8 minutes. Set your alarm 8 minutes earlier than usual and get up and just do it.

 

  1. “I can overeat now and make up for these excess calories by eating less tomorrow.” This is a form of procrastination, and it always results in disaster. Few people make up for the excess “tomorrow.” And those who do eat less end up starving themselves and slowing their metabolisms. When you truly respect your body, you’ll stick to healthful food portions all the time and never punish your body with starvation.

 

  1. “I need to take care of others first. Once I meet their needs, then I can focus on myself.” This is perhaps one of the most prevalent and most vicious lies out there. In reality, you can’t take care of others until you have first taken care of yourself. When you neglect your mind and body, you eventually have nothing left to give. And if you suffer a heart attack from neglecting your body, eventually others will have to take care of you.

 

  1. “Weight loss is not worth the effort. I’m just going to gain it all back anyway.” I understand why you may feel this way, particularly if you have already lost and regained weight numerous times before. You must understand, however, that you’re not to blame for those past failed attempts—the programs are at fault. For permanent weight loss, you must address the source of your problem. You must accept your body and heal your hungry heart. Once you do that, you will effortlessly lose the weight.

 

  1. “My work is more important than my body.” To quote a fairly well-known phrase: “ No man ever said on his deathbed, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’ Yet, I would bet that plenty of people on their deathbeds had wished they had taken better care of their bodies.

 

  1. “Weight doesn’t matter. I am ugly at any size.” Your body is an extraordinary machine that does extraordinary tasks every day. Once you learn to recognize that simple fact, you will realize that ugliness is a matter of perspective. If you focus on the amazing nature of your body–on your heart’s ability to beat, on your muscles’ ability to move, on your skin’s ability to heal—then you will understand the inherent beauty of your body.

 

  1. “Nobody loves me or cares about me, so why should I care about myself?” Perhaps one of the most perverse laws of human nature is that you must first love yourself before you can earn and receive love from others. Quite often, lack of self-love is what drives others from you. Think about it. Would you rather be around a depressed, sad, negative person or a confident, cheerful person? Once you become more confident, you’ll find friends suddenly appearing in your life.

 

  1. “I have already blown it today, so I might as well give up.” You’ve never blown it until you’ve given up altogether. Just one overeating episode will not ruin your chance for success. For the same reason fat is so hard to lose, it is also hard to gain. It takes 3,500 excess calories in order to gain one pound of fat. That’s a lot of food. Believe me, you’ve never eaten that much in one sitting!

 

  1. “I work hard. I deserve to eat as much as I want.” If you work hard, you deserve to pamper yourself, that’s true. But overeating is a form of body punishment, not a form of pampering. I suggest you treat yourself to a massage, a warm bath, or a long talk with an old friend instead of treating yourself to food. (Check out these other ways to treat youself.)

 

  1. “I am fine on the inside. That’s all that matters.” Both the inside and the outside of your body matter. Excess weight—on the outside—weakens and sickens the inside of your body. Take care of the outside of your body with weight loss, and the inside-your heart, lungs, and blood vessels—will become healthier and stronger.

 

  1. “One day of not caring is not going to matter.” The problem with this thinking is that 1 day turns into 2 days which turns into 3 days, then 4, and so on. Start caring about your body today.

 

  1. “My partner loves me no matter what my size.” I’m sure your spouse loves you, but this isn’t about your spouse. This is about you. You should lose weight to make your life better, to improve your body, to feel more energetic and healthy, and to make your life easier. Of course, those around you will benefit, but you are the one that counts the most.

 

  1. “Food is the only friend that can lift my spirits or remove the ache of loneliness.” Plenty of things—besides food—can help you heal your hungry heart.

 

  1. “I don’t want to offend my friends by not indulging with them.” My mother used to say, “If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” Overeating hurts you just as much as using recreational drugs. If your friends are offended that you want to take better care of your body, they are not really your friends.

 

  1. “I’m old. All old people are fat.” It’s true that many people gain weight as they age as a result of a slower metabolism. If you strength train, however, you can keep your metabolism from slowing down in the first place.

 

  1. “I’m still young. I can lose the weight later.” The statistics are stacked against you on this one. Most people tend to gain weight as they get older, not lose it. The best time for weight loss is right now!

 

  1. “I can eat as much as my 6-foot-2-inch husband.” You probably know that this isn’t true—as much as you want it to be so. Many women tell me that they gained weight when they were first married and began eating the same food portions as their husbands. Your husband has more muscle mass and is probably taller, and he therefore burns more calories each day than you do. You must stick to smaller food portions in order to lose weight.

 

  1. “My metabolism is terrible.” This may be true. After many years of dieting, your metabolism may be much slower than it used to be. You can rev it up, however, with strength training. (Check out how to get a metabolism that soars.)

 

  1. “I’m genetically meant to be overweight.” This is only a half-truth. Some people do carry what scientists call a “thrifty gene,” which makes their bodies resist burning fat. It only means, however, that you’ll have to work a little harder than someone without this gene in order to lose weight and keep it off.

 

  1. “I’m too fat to exercise.” This lie is what led me to develop this book. Certain types of exercise may not be best suited for your body. But I know that you’ll be able to comfortably perform the exercises in my program. I tested them on full-figured women. They work.

 

Working With Negative Beliefs

Did any of those lies resonate with you? Have you found yourself using them to make excuses for not exercising or eating healthful food portions? Do you have even more lies buried deep inside? Take a moment right now to think about what you’ve told yourself in the past that led to overeating or not exercising. Were you lying to yourself?

 

To get fully aware of your damaging, negative, and false beliefs, I want you write down your top three limiting beliefs that you have consciously or subconsciously told yourself, lies that resulted in your not believing that your body was special enough, amazing enough, or precious enough to warrant your highest attention and care. Feel free to borrow a few from those I mentioned earlier.

 

After you write down your top three limiting beliefs, write down the consequence of believing these old dis-empowering beliefs. And know that dissatisfaction can be a powerful spark that gets you to take action and change your behaviors forever.

 

Once you’ve completed the limiting-beliefs exercise, you’re ready to take another step on your journey to body respect. To fully acknowledge that your three negative beliefs are no longer a part of you, I want you to do something symbolic. Take a thick, black marker and ink out those three old beliefs with your pen. Yes, draw on top of them. Cover them up. Put a big XXX over them. This may seem like a simple, and maybe even silly, exercise, but believe me, it will symbolically help you to delete those same lies from your brain’s hard drive.

 

By doing this, you will be signaling to your brain and subconscious that you are no longer willing to be ruled by these lies. As the words disappear, so will those damaging beliefs! You will feel empowered and invigorated. You will be free. Don’t continue to read this until you have done this exercise. This physical act of destroying those old beliefs will impact your future success for the better. You will almost feel reborn.

 

Step 2: Replace the Junk with a Gem

Now that you have cleared out your emotional closet of the junk, it is now time to replace that junk with a true gem: empowering beliefs that will change your life and how you treat your body forever. Ready? Simply replace those three old limiting beliefs with the following power pledge: “My current body is the most precious gift I have ever been given.”

 

To fully commit that pledge to memory, write down the positive consequences of believing this. For example, you might write:

 

“I will treat my body as a top priority.”

“I will make sure to exercise my body on a regular basis.”

“I will feed my body properly.”

“I will finally lose the extra weight.”

To strengthen your pledge, I want you to support it with 10 ultimate references. These are 10 ideas that make the power pledge completely real for you. To create your ultimate references, ask yourself this simple question: “Why is this true?” In other words, “Why is my current body truly the most precious gift I have ever been given?” Write your answers down.

 

Now that you’ve listed your 10 ultimate references, make three copies and place them in three spots in your house. I highly recommend posting it on your nightstand and in the bathroom, so you can see it when you first get up, and in the kitchen, so you can see it whenever you feel tempted to overeat or skip your workout.

 

Your poster will serve as a powerful reminder to put your body first. Remember that it is essential for you to realize that the first secret to real weight loss is to unconditionally accept and thus respect your body 100%, right now, no matter what your current size. If you don’t fully respect your current body, I can assure you that you will never truly treat it as the most precious gift that has ever been given to you.

 

Source: Article by Jorge Cruise (www.prevention.com)

Hormonal Imbalances in Women and Weight Gain

In women who have a hard time losing weight no matter how much exercise they do, there can often be an issue with “estrogen dominance.” Estrogen is a hormone produced in the ovaries, and it promotes cell division, cell growth, and in excessive amounts, formation of fat tissue. Another hormone found naturally in women is progesterone, and progesterone protects against the “pro-growth” effect of estrogen.

Normally, estrogen and progesterone work together to achieve hormonal balance. But as women age, and especially between the ages of 35 and 50, the decline in progesterone occurs much faster than the decline in estrogen, and this gradual drop in estrogen combined with a steep drop in progesterone is what initiates a problem with estrogen dominance and growth of excessive fat tissue.

While this “estrogen dominance” is a normal, expected part of aging, the weight gain that it causes can be significantly increased by lifestyle or dietary factors that increase the amount of estrogen in the body.

Here are some of those “extra” sources of estrogen that can contribute to estrogen dominance and weight gain in women, along with what you can do about it:

  • Pesticides and herbicides. Check out the Dirty Dozen fruits and veggies that are best to buy organic so you ingest as few pesticides as possible. 
  • Poultry or beef raised on hormones. As much as possible, eat free-range or grass-fed animals that are hormone-free and when you’re eating out at restaurants, consider opting for the fish unless you know the beef and chicken is hormone-free.
  • Chemicals found in consumer products. Creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, hair sprays, and deodorizers all contain chemicals. The Silent Springs institute has created a research report on which consumer products are safe and which are not. 
  • Industrial solvents. Glues, paints, varnishes, fingernail polish, and fingernail polish remover are the biggest culprits of industrial solvents. These can be tough to avoid completely, but you can reduce your exposure by using any chemicals like nail polish or nail polish remover in fresh air and open spaces.
  • Stress and poor sleep. Both of these can decrease progesterone output. Simple ways to reduce stress include yoga, deep breathing, nature walks, and planning so that you have as much hectic-free time as possible to accomplish your daily tasks. Before bed, limit computer, phone and TV use, and sleep in a quiet and dark room.
  • Excessive calories. Consuming too many calories can cause body fat that converts steroids to estrogens. People often “sneak” excess calories into their diets with mindless eating in the workplace in front of the computer or grabbing morsels from their kids’ snacks. Instead, pay attention to what and when you are eating and choose foods that are high in proteins, healthy fats, and fiber that can keep your appetite satiated. Check out this podcast for some of the best appetite-satiating foods.
  • Poor liver function. The metabolism of estrogens takes place primarily in the liver, so you need to care for that valuable organ! High alcohol intake or use of pharmaceuticals can put a strain on the liver, so limit yourself to no more than 1 drink of alcohol per day, avoid pharmaceutical drugs unless entirely necessary, and if you have been drinking or using drugs heavily, consider including liver supporting supplements into your diet, such as cucumber juice, milk thistle extract, calcium d-glucarate, folic acid, and taurine.
  • Magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is necessary for metabolizing estrogen in the liver, and a magnesium deficiency can be created from low veggie and fruit consumption combined with high consumption of processed foods. Consider using a magnesium powder before you go to bed at night, and spray topical magnesium on any sore muscles after you exercise.

Source: Ben Greenfield, Get-Fit Guy.

 

Getting Past a Weight Loss Plateau

 

Did you hit a weight plateau? and feeling discouraged  that for weeks your weight loss program was taking the pounds off. Then, suddenly, the scales won’t budge another pounce.

Before you delve into some solutions, establish whether what you are experience is an actual plateau. Here are other possible explanations for why your scale is not budging:

Your body composition is changing. In other words, you may be losing fat but not overall weight. Although you may long to see the numbers go down, the scale is not the best way to track weight loss.

Instead, you should be tracking your body composition, especially if you are exercising. If you feel you look leaner in the mirror but the weight is the same, you are likely building muscle while losing fat. Tracking your weight loss using a body composition analyzer on a monthly basis is a great approach. Even how your jeans fit can give you a better assessment of how you are doing than your scale.

Consider trying one of these tips:

Assess your food and activity records (keep your daily food journal). It is common to loosen the rules with time, letting yourself get away with larger meal portions or less activity. The solution is to record every food morsel you eat and activity you undertake. At the end of the week, review your journal and maintain or look for a more healthier alternatives.

Focus on three- to four-week trends in weight loss instead of daily fluctuations. You may find that, although progress is not evident immediately, you’re losing weight.

Consistency is key. It might be tempting to stop working out if you aren’t continuing to see results, but focus of continuing to exercise and eat healthfully. Resist the urge to give up.

If you’ve hit a plateau, reassess your program. Is it possible that you’ve accomplished about as much as you can with the goals you’ve set. If so, you may need to adjust or modify your program if you want to achieve more.

Whatever you do, do not give up. If you get discouraged or have a bad weekend of eating or you missed your spin class two days in a row, get right back on track. Remember that plateaus are always surrounded by progress and your progress is on it’s way.

Remember, even with a good weight loss program and the best of intentions, you’ll run into roadblocks now and then. How you respond to these obstacles can be the difference between success and failure. – Diet, The Mayo Clinic

 

Workout Tips: Consistent Workout Schedule for Busy People

Five ways busy people can start keeping a consistent workout schedule today:

1. Embrace shorter workouts.

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym in order to stay healthy and fit. Because with high intensity interval training (HIIT), you can get stronger, fitter, and in better shape than ever—in way less time than traditional workouts.

If you’ve never heard of it before, HIIT is an insanely efficient style of workout that alternates periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods.

Basically, that means you’ll be working really hard for a short amount of time, resting, then working hard again. And most HIIT workouts take only about 10 to 20 minutes—making them the perfect fit for busy people of all types.

And while traditional HIIT focuses on forms of cardio like sprinting and cycling, you can also throw exercises like box jumps, push ups, pull ups and burpees [http://www.12minuteathlete.com/burpees-are-awesome/] into the mix for a really quick and an incredibly effective workout.

2. Create a ritual.

One of the best ways to start any kind of habit is to create a ritual around the habit you want to create. And working out is no different.

For example, maybe you want to work out first thing in the morning before you go to work. You might decide to create a ritual where every morning you get up, eat a small breakfast while listening to your favorite music to get you pumped up, take the dog for a quick stroll around the block, then work out, make a protein shake, shower, and drive to work.

The idea is to get your mind and body so used to including a workout in your morning routine (or whatever your favorite time of the day is to work out) that you no longer have to think about it—making it so that working out just comes naturally to you.

3. Schedule it in your calendar.

Another way to make sure your workouts are ingrained in your schedule is to simply put them on the calendar—just as you would any other appointment.

So, for example, if you want to commit to working out three days a week, choose the days—let’s say Monday, Wednesday and Friday—and put them in your calendar or phone for a scheduled time. Then treat them just as you would any other appointment.

If something really important comes up, you can always reschedule your workout for another time/day (but don’t do this too often). But just as you’d never just skip an important meeting or your best friend’s birthday party, scheduling it in your calendar keeps you from skipping your workout—or forgetting to work out altogether.

4. Commit for 30 days.

You probably know that it takes anywhere from 21 to 30 days to build a habit that sticks. The same is true with your workouts.

The key is to commit to the habit you want to create—such as doing HIIT three times a week—and giving yourself a 30-day “trial” of doing that habit consistently. Then tell yourself that if you want, you can go back to your old habits (such as not doing HIIT or not exercising at all) at the end of your 30 days.

When the end of the 30 days is up, notice how you feel. Do you feel stronger, more confident, more energized, and fitter? More likely than not you’ll decide that you prefer the way you look and feel after working out consistently, and not want to return to how you were before starting your workout trial.

5. Start small.

When you first start working out consistently, it’s not a good idea to commit to six days a week of the hardest workouts you’ve ever done in your life.

Why? Because before you know it, you’ll be sore, exhausted, and burnt out. You’ll lose all your motivation to continue and possibly even end up injuring yourself in the process.

A better approach is to start small—try doing two to three days of HIIT or other workouts to start for a week, a couple of weeks, or even a month. After you’ve stuck with the workouts for a while and know you can do them, then you should push yourself to increase the frequency and intensity of your workouts.

Start with baby steps, and you’ll be more likely to succeed in the long run.

Get rid of your excuses and just start.

One of the worst things you can do when trying to form a lifelong workout habit is to constantly make excuses when something else comes up.

Yes, we all know life happens. But while it’s certainly acceptable to take a day off here and there, letting yourself make too many excuses will break you of the habit and make it harder to stick with it for life.

And there’s an easy solution: just stop making excuses.

Traveling? You can still work out, even if all you have is a hotel room.

Tired? Exercise gives you an energy boost, so lace up your training shoes anyway.

Busy? Everyone has an extra 10 to 20 minutes in their day—and you could probably use a break from your crazy schedule to exercise and take some time to yourself anyway.

 

And best of all START TODAY, NOT TOMORROW.

Good Luck!

Source: Krista Stryker, founder of 12 Minute Athlete
http://www.dumblittleman.com/author/david

 

The Golden Rules for Weight Loss

1. Don’t skip meals. When you get too hungry, you’re less likely to make healthy choices.

 

2. Never go on a very low calorie diet especially when you’re under a lot if stress.

 

3. Ideally, you should try to lose no more than 1 to 2 1/2 pounds a week.

 

4. A short bout of exercise each day is more effective than longer, less frequent periods.

 

5. To lose weight for good know that you can’t go back to your old eating habits. You’ll need to change your lifestyle.

 

6. Eating too little can backfire. Never have less than 1,200 calories a day-or you may slow down your metabolism.

 

7. Don’t grocery shop when you’re hungry. You’re likely to make high-fat , low-nutrient impulse purchases.

 

8. For a fit and tone figure, dieting alone isn’t enough. You also need to exercise.

 

9. A slip-up doesn’t have to lead and entire day of overeating. Resolve to make better choices at your next meal.

 

10. Cut down, not out: Trim portions of food instead of removing the entire categories.

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

 

Healthy grocery shopping

A key step for losing weight, keeping the weight off, and staying healthy is learning how to buy the right foods at the store. This will ensure you have healthy choices at home. Avoid bringing unhealthy choices, such as chips or cookies, into the home. Having to go out to buy an unhealthy treat gives you more time to make a conscious decision about eating that food.

 

Smart Shopping

Avoid buying foods in bulk and shopping in warehouse-type stores if you can. Getting a good deal can lead to overeating. If you do buy large amounts of a food, divide it into smaller portion sizes and store what you will not use right away.

PROTEIN

When you buy protein, choose:

  • Lean ground turkey or chicken and skinless turkey or chicken breasts
  • Lean meat, such as bison (buffalo) and lean cuts of pork and beef (such as round, top sirloin, and tenderloin). Look for meats that are 97% lean ground meats.
  • Fish, such as salmon, whitefish, sardines, herring, tilapia, and cod
  • Egg whites and low-fat or nonfat dairy products
  • Legumes, such as pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and garbanzo beans. Canned beans are convenient but if you have the time to prepare them from scratch dried beans are much cheaper. Low for low-sodium canned goods.
  • Soy proteins, such as tofu or tempeh

 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Buy plenty of fruits and vegetables. They will fill you up and provide vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs. Some buying tips:

  • One medium-sized apple has only 72 calories.
  • 1 cup carrots has only 45 calories.
  • 1 cup of cut up cantaloupe melon has only 55 calories.
  • Select canned fruits that are packed in water or juice, not syrup, and have no sugar added.
  • Frozen fruits and vegetable can be good choices as long as there is no added sugar or salt. Some benefits of frozen fruits and vegetables include:
  • Can be as nutritious or sometimes more nutritious than fresh as long as they do not contain added sauces.
  • Will not go bad as quickly as fresh.
  • Easy to prepare. Bags of frozen veggies that steam in the microwave can be ready in under 5 minutes.

BREADS AND GRAINS

Choose healthy breads, cereals, and pasta, such as:

  • Whole-grain breads and rolls, such as whole-wheat, pumpernickel, or 7-grain (Read the label to make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat/whole grain.)
  • All bran, 100% bran, and Shredded Wheat cereals (Look for cereals with at least 4 grams of fiber per serving.)
  • Whole-wheat or other whole-grain pasta
  • Other grains such as millet, quinoa, amaranth, and bulgar
  • Rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
  • Always buy real foods. Look for 100% fruit juice and whole food items. Choose foods with no added sugar or salt and as few additives as possible.
  • Avoid processed and packaged foods. They are much more likely to:
  • Be high in sugar and fats, which add calories
  • Be low in whole grains and real fruit or vegetables
  • Lack vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients

Plan Ahead

Before you buy food for the week, think about your schedule:

  • When and where you will be eating over the next week?
  • How much time will you have to cook?

Then, plan your meals before you shop. This can keep you from buying whatever foods look good to you, whether or not they are healthy.

Make a shopping list. Remember to take it with you, and promise yourself you will not buy things that are not on it.

Never go food shopping when you are hungry. You will make better choices if you shop after you have had a healthy meal or snack.

Know How to Read Food Labels

Learn how to read the Nutrition Facts labels on food packages. Know what the serving size is and the amount of calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates per serving. If a bag contains 2 servings and you eat the whole bag, you will need to multiply the amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrate by 2.

Two words on food labels that can be misleading are “natural” and “pure.”

Some other tips for reading labels and buying healthy foods are:

  • Choose tuna and other canned fish that is packed in water, not oil.
  • Check the label for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the list of ingredients. These are unhealthy trans fats. The closer to the beginning of the list these words are, the more of them the food contains. The label will give the total trans fat content, and you want this to be zero. Even foods that are listed as having no trans fats may have traces so you still should also be sure to look at the ingredient list.
  • Carefully read the label of any food that claims it is a weight-loss product. Even though these words are used, the food may not be a healthy choice for you.
  • Know what “lite” and “light” mean. The word “lite” can mean fewer calories, but sometimes not much fewer. There is no set standard for that word. If a product says “light,” it must have at least 1/3 fewer calories than the regular food has, but it may still not be a low-calorie or healthy option.

Article Source: https://www.nlm.nih.gov

 

Think lifestyle change, not short-term diet.

While there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent healthy weight loss, the following guidelines are a great place to start:

Think lifestyle change, not short-term diet. Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change—a commitment to replace high-calorie foods with healthier, lower-calorie alternatives, reduce your portion sizes, and become more active. Various popular diets can help jumpstart your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work in the long run.
Find a cheering section. Social support means a lot. Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support—whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group—to get the encouragement you need.
Slow and steady wins the race. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week to ensure healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly, you’re actually losing mostly water and muscle, rather than fat.
Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident, boost your mood, or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.
Use tools that help you track your progress. Keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly, keeping track of each pound and inch you lose. By keeping track of your weight loss efforts, you’ll see the results in black and white, which will help you stay motivated.
Where you carry your fat matters
The health risks are greater if you tend to carry your weight around your abdomen, as opposed to your hips and thighs. A lot of belly fat is stored deep below the skin surrounding the abdominal organs and liver, and is closely linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Calories obtained from fructose (found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy) are more likely to add to this dangerous fat around your belly. Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline and lower risk of disease.
Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #1: Avoid common pitfalls
It’s always tempting to look for short cuts but fad diets or “quick-fix” pills and plans only set you up for failure because:

You feel deprived. Diets that cut out entire groups of food, such as carbs or fat, are simply impractical, not to mention unhealthy. The key is moderation.
You lose weight, but can’t keep it off. Diets that severely cut calories, restrict certain foods, or rely on ready-made meals might work in the short term but don’t include a plan for maintaining your weight, so the pounds quickly come back.

After your diet, you seem to put on weight more quickly. When you drastically restrict your food intake, your metabolism will temporarily slow down. Once you start eating normally, you’ll gain weight until your metabolism bounces back.

You break your diet and feel too discouraged to try again. When diets make you feel deprived, it’s easy to fall off the wagon. Healthy eating is about the big picture. An occasional splurge won’t kill your efforts.
You feel lost when dining out. If the food served isn’t on your specific diet plan, what can you do?
The person on the commercial lost 30 lbs. in two months—and you haven’t. Diet companies make a lot of grandiose promises, and most are simply unrealistic.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #2: Put a stop to emotional eating

We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. If we did, no one would be overweight. All too often, we turn to food for comfort and stress relief. When this happens, we frequently pack on pounds.

Do you reach for a snack while watching TV? Do you eat when you’re stressed or bored? When you’re lonely? Or to reward yourself? Recognizing your emotional eating triggers can make all the difference in your weight-loss efforts:

If you eat when you’re stressed, find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try exercise, yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath.

If you eat when you’re feeling low on energy, find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap.

If you eat when you’re lonely or bored, reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go out in public (to the library, mall, or park—anywhere there’s people).

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #3: Tune in when you eat
We live in a fast-paced world where eating has become mindless. We eat on the run, at our desk while we’re working, and in front of the TV screen. The result is that we consume much more than we need, often without realizing it.

Counter this tendency by practicing “mindful” eating: pay attention to what you eat, savor each bite, and choose foods that are both nourishing and enjoyable.

Mindful eating weight loss tips
Pay attention while you’re eating. Instead of chowing down mindlessly, savor the experience. Eat slowly, savoring the smells and textures of your food. If your mind wanders, gently return your attention to your food and how it tastes and feels in your mouth.
Avoid distractions while eating. Try not to eat while working, watching TV, or driving. It’s too easy to mindlessly overeat.

Try mixing things up to force yourself to focus on the experience of eating. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand.
Stop eating before you are full. It takes time for the signal to reach your brain that you’ve had enough. Avoid the temptation to clean your plate. Yes, there are children starving in Africa, but your weight gain won’t help them.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #4: Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fiber
To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. You can fill up while on a diet, as long as you choose your foods wisely.

Fiber: the secret to feeling satisfied while losing weight
High-fiber foods are higher in volume and take longer to digest, which makes them filling. There’s nothing magic about it, but the weight-loss results may seem like it.

High-fiber heavyweights include:

Fruits and vegetables – Enjoy whole fruits across the rainbow (strawberries, apples, oranges, berries, nectarines, plums), leafy salads, and green veggies of all kinds.
Beans – Select beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas). Add them to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a hearty dish on their own.
Whole grains – Try high-fiber cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat or multigrain bread, and air-popped popcorn.
Focus on fresh fruits and veggies
Counting calories and measuring portion sizes can quickly become tedious, but you don’t need an accounting degree to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s generally safe to eat as much as you want, whenever you want.

The high water and fiber content in most fresh fruits and vegetables makes them hard to overeat. You’ll feel full long before you’ve overdone it on the calories.

Eat vegetables raw or steamed, not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil or cheese for flavor.
Add nuts and cheese to salads but don’t overdo it. Use low-fat salad dressings, such as a vinaigrette made with olive oil.

Pour a little less cereal into your morning bowl to make room for some blueberries, strawberries, or sliced bananas. You’ll still enjoy a full bowl, but with a lower calorie count.

Swap out some of the meat and cheese in your sandwich with healthier veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.

Instead of a high-calorie snack, like chips and dip, try baby carrots or celery with hummus.

Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish “go” further. Even dishes such as pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables.

Try starting your meal with a salad or soup to help fill you up, so you eat less of your entrée.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #5: Indulge without overindulging
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits”
When you ban certain foods, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Instead of denying yourself the unhealthy foods you love, simply eat them less often.

If you’ve ever found yourself polishing off a pint of ice cream or stuffing yourself with cookies or chips after spending a whole day virtuously eating salads, you know how restrictive diet plans usually end. Deprivation diets set you up for failure: you starve yourself until you snap, and then you overdo it, cancelling out all your previous efforts.

In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off, you need to learn how to enjoy the foods you love without going overboard. A diet that places all your favorite foods off limits won’t work in the long run. Eventually, you’ll feel deprived and will cave. And when you do, you probably won’t stop at a sensible-sized portion.

Tips for enjoying treats without overeating
Combine your treat with other healthy foods. You can still enjoy your favorite high-calorie treat, whether it’s ice cream, chips, cake, or chocolate. The key is to eat a smaller serving along with a lower-calorie option. For example, add strawberries to your ice cream or munch on carrot and celery sticks along with your chips and dip. By piling on the low-cal option, you can eat a diet-friendly portion of your favorite treat without feeling deprived.

Schedule your treats. Establish regular times when you get to indulge in your favorite food. For example, maybe you enjoy a small square of chocolate every day after lunch, or a slice of cheesecake every Friday evening. Once you’re conditioned to eat your treat at those times—and those times only—you’ll stop obsessing about them at other times.

Make your indulgence less indulgent. Find ways to reduce fat, sugar, or calories in your favorite treats and snacks. If you do your own baking, cut back on sugar, making up for it with extra cinnamon or vanilla extract. You can also eliminate or reduce high-calorie sides, like whipped cream, cheese, dip, and frosting.

Engage all your senses—not just your taste sense. You can make snack time more special by lighting candles, playing soothing music, or eating outdoors in a beautiful setting. Get the most pleasure—and the most relaxation—out of your treat by cutting it into small pieces and taking your time.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #6: Take charge of your food environment
Set yourself up for success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods you make easily available.

Eat early, weigh less. Early studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.

Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat your last meal earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may aid weight loss.

Serve yourself smaller portions. One easy way to control portion size is by using small plates, bowls, and cups. This will make your portions appear larger. Don’t eat out of large bowls or directly from the food container or package, which makes it difficult to assess how much you’ve eaten. Using smaller utensils, like a teaspoon instead of tablespoon, can slow eating and help you feel full sooner.

Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You will be more inclined to eat in moderation if you have thought out healthy meals and snacks in advance. You can buy or create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will also help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.

Cook your own meals. Cooking meals at home allows you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food. Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sodium, fat, and calories than food cooked at home—plus the portion sizes tend to be larger.

Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Be especially careful to avoid high-calorie snack and convenience foods.

Out of sight, out of mind. Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store snack foods and other high-calorie indulgences in cabinets or drawers out of your sight.

Sugar: The secret diet saboteur
Most of us consume more sugar than is healthy, but reducing the amount of candy and desserts you eat is only part of the solution. Sugar is also hidden in foods as diverse as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, and ketchup. It’s also in a lot of foods labelled as “low fat” or “reduced fat.” Manufacturers often replace the fat in their products with sugar to improve the taste. But all this hidden sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories. Check labels and opt for low sugar products and use fresh or frozen ingredients instead of canned goods.

Soft drinks (including soda, energy drinks, and coffee drinks) are one of the biggest sources of hidden sugar. One can of soda contains between 10-12 teaspoons of sugar and around 150 calories, so a few soft drinks can quickly add up to a good portion of your daily calorie intake.

Switching to diet soda isn’t the answer, as studies suggest that it triggers sugar cravings and contributes to weight gain. Instead, try switching to water with lemon, unsweetened iced tea, or carbonated water with a splash of juice.
If you have a sweet tooth, the thought of cutting back on sugar may sound daunting. But by slowly reducing the sugar in your diet a little at a time, you’ll give your taste buds time to adjust and you’ll be able to wean yourself off the craving for sweets.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip #7: Make healthy lifestyle changes
You can support your dieting efforts by making healthy lifestyle choices.

Get plenty of exercise. Exercise is a dieter’s best friend. It not only burns calories, but also can improve your resting metabolism. No time for a long workout? Research shows that three 10-minute spurts of exercise per day are just as good as one 30-minute workout.

Turn off the TV. You actually burn less calories watching television than you do sleeping! If you simply can’t miss your favorite shows, get a little workout in while watching. Do easy exercises like squats, sit-ups, jogging in place, or using resistance bands or hand weights.

Drink more water. Reduce your daily calorie intake by replacing soda, alcohol, or coffee with water. Thirst can also be confused with hunger, so by drinking water, you may avoid consuming extra calories.

How lack of sleep can wreck your diet
Lack of sleep has been shown to have a direct link to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. Two hormones in your body—ghrelin and leptin—regulate normal feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin sends signals to the brain when you are full. However, when you’re short on sleep, your ghrelin levels go up, stimulating your appetite so you want more food than normal, and your leptin levels go down, meaning you don’t feel satisfied and want to keep eating. This can lead to overeating and, ultimately, weight gain.

To keep your diet on track, try to get about eight hours of quality sleep a night.

 

Article Source: http://www.helpguide.org/

Unhealthy Fast Food Items

The 10 Most Unhealthy Fast-Food Items on America’s Menu

Let’s think back to the pioneer days. People had to plant their crops, tend to their animals and cook foods from scratch. There were no box mixes or pre-made items. Meals had to be planned ahead every day. People really had to work for their food! Grab and go meals were unheard of! Coincidentally, the obesity rates were much less years ago.

Let’s now fast forward to today. You can find a fast food restaurant every time you turn the corner. You can choose from greasy burgers, crunchy tacos or a sugary drink at most intersections. It is not necessary to plan your meals ahead, cook or even shop because you have a variety of foods right there at your fingertips.

These quick and easy foods are also cheap, which appeals to so many Americans. You can order dollar cheeseburgers, dollar sodas and supersize items for just pennies. People see a value in cheap food and get it with fast food. People often claim it is cheaper to eat at a restaurant than prepare a meal at home.

Most Americans are overscheduled and overcommitted. They run from activity to activity and do not make time to plan or prepare meals. It is just too easy to grab fast food on the way home from work, or treat the kids to a thick milkshake after a busy day at soccer practice. Having fast food everywhere makes this very easy.

Unfortunately, people do not know the consequences of fast food. They are unaware how the extra fat in their diet can lead to cardiovascular disease. They do not realize the supersized fries may be the reason why their pants are tight. They forget the recommendation to eat a low sodium diet, so their blood pressure rises says Sarah Muntel, RD is a registered dietitian with IU Health Bariatric & Medical Weight Loss.

The degree to which fast food is at fault for the poor state of the health of many Americans “is impossible to quantify, but is definitely a factor,” says Christina Munsell, a registered dietitian and research assistant at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University, in an interview. The increase in obesity “definitely would correlate with eating quicker meals that are easier to obtain.”

In order to create the rankings, 24/7 Wall St. examined the menus of the top 10 restaurant brands in the quick service category by sales as determined by QSR, an industry publication, looking for the most unhealthy options in the fast-food universe:items that were the highest in calories, carbohydrates, sodium and saturated fat. We then ranked them against the nutritional guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture.

A couple of important caveats to consider. Not everything sold at fast food restaurants is unhealthy. The industry aggressively promotes healthier choice on their menus. Subway, for one, makes a special point of doing this, though its foot-long subs are not healthy choices. Moreover, experts point out that many items sold at sit-down restaurants are actually much more unhealthy than many fast food items. Fast food, though, has gained ground during the economic slowdown while casual and fine dining chains have suffered.

Methodology: We derived the rankings by taking the average nutritional ratings of menu items compared with the USDA recommendations. Carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sodium were given the most weight. Calories and protein were also considered.

10. Wendy’s Baconator Double                                                        
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 930 (36%)
> Saturated Fat: 25g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 41 (13%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1840mg (80%)

Whose says you can never have too much bacon? Anyone with sense, that’s who. The Rudd Center’s Munsell noted with amusement how fast food chains “combine every type of meat on one sandwich.” The Baconator was relentlessly hyped for a while. A Wendy’s (WEN) spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

 

9. Burger King Triple Whopper with Cheese                 
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1180 (45%)
> Saturated Fat: 30g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 52 (16%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1330mg (58%)

The Triple Whopper makes a mere Quarter Pounder with Cheese seem like health food. At 1,140 calories, it packs more than twice the punch of the McDonald’s burger, which has 535 calories. In a statement to 24/7 Wall St., the company referred to the Triple Whopper as an “indulgent option for our guests.” Burger King says it encourages customers to eat healthy choices that provide 650 calories or less — approximately one-third of a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

 

8. Subway Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki           
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 750 (28%)
> Saturated Fat: 2.5g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 117 (41%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1810 mg (79%)

Subway, unhealthy? In some cases, the answer is “yes.” While this sandwich is low in calories and fat, it is high in salt. The portions of Subway’s foot-long sandwiches are too large, Munsell notes. Subway did not respond to a request for comment.

 

7. Wendy’s Triple                                                  
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1030 (40%)
> Saturated Fat: 28g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 43 (18%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1800mg (78%)

Anyone eating this monstrosity might not realize that the USDA suggests one portion of meat should be roughly the size of deck of cards. This Wendy’s monster burger weighs in at a whopping 423 grams. Wendy’s has struggled for years against larger rivals. It unloaded its underperforming Arby’s chain earlier this week to private-equity group Roark Capital Group. Wendy’s did not respond to a request for comment.

 

6. Taco Bell XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito Beef                       
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 880 (34%)
> Saturated Fat: 3g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 94 (26%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 2130mg (93%)

Taco Bell has mastered the art of blending meats and cheese in ever more creative caloric combinations. The XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito Beef is a monument to gluttony. Taco Bell calls it its “biggest burrito yet.” It has “a blend of three cheeses – cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella – flavorful seasoned rice, hearty beans, reduced-fat sour cream, chunky guacamole, avocado ranch and fiesta salsa, wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla.” Taco Bell’s sales have been hurt recently by questions surrounding the quality of its beef.

 

5. McDonald’s Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon                                 
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 800 (31%)
> Saturated Fat: 18g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 66 (18%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 2020mg (88%)

The Angus Chipotle is big and has bacon, two red flags for any dieter. “It’s problematic,” says Munsell, adding that the Golden Arches have borne the brunt of negative publicity about fast food. That’s unfair. “We did find that McDonald’s did have more healthy options” than other chains, she notes. Indeed, it ended its Super Size promotion a few years ago, no doubt spurred by the publicity surrounding Morgan Spurlock’s Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me.

4. Sonic SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Mayo                 
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1370 (53%)
> Saturated Fat: 36g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 55 (17%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1610mg (70%)

The name alone should make a diner want to grab a fistful of Lipitor. Those brave enough to chow down on this 1,370 calorie colossus probably shouldn’t eat much for the rest of the day. Once a regional operator in the South and Midwest, Sonic (SONC) now operates over 3,500 locations.

 

3. KFC Chicken Pot Pie                                          
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 790 (30%)
> Saturated Fat: 37g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 66 (20%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1970mg (86%)

Salty and high in calories, there is little positive that can be said about the KFC Chicken Pot Pie. But a Yum! Brands spokesman had this to say: “It’s all about providing our consumers with choices, and each of our brands has introduced products that are lower in calories and fat, such as KFC’s Kentucky Grilled Chicken, Pizza Hut’s Thin ‘N Crispy Pizzas and salads and Taco Bell’s Drive Thru Diet Menu with 7 items less than 9 grams of fat.”

In other words, diners have a choice about whether or not they eat something with almost a full day’s allotment of sodium in one item.

 

2. Subway 12-inch Italian B.M.T                                              
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 900 (35%)
> Saturated Fat: 16g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 94 (27%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 3,000 mg (130%)

It’s easy to see why Subway does not list this sandwich under the “low-fat footlongs” on its web site. It has a whopping 3,000 mg of salt, 130% of the recommended allotment in a daily diet. “The problem with Subway is the portion size,” Munsell says, adding that the problem with this sandwich is the salty luncheon meats. However, Subway is getting the message about salt. As an April USA Today article noted, “Beginning today, sodium content in Subway’s ‘Fresh Fit’ sandwich line in the U.S. will be cut 28% vs. 2009, when Subway first began to cut salt. And sodium in its overall sandwich line will be cut by 15%, compared with the same period.”

 

1. Pizza Hut Triple Meat Italiano (9-inch personal pizza)                     
> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1,280 (49%)
> Saturated Fat: 23g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 123 (38%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 3,070mg (133%)

Pizza — plain, with cheese and sauce — is not particularly unhealthy. This gastronomical overkill featuring “all-natural pepperoni, all-natural Italian sausage, and baked ham” is terrible for you. Pizza Hut offers plenty of healthier choices.

 

Article Source: Jonathan Berr, Michael B. Sauter http://www.dailyfinance.com/

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources

Diet Management: High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss

 

Going on a high-protein diet may help you tame your hunger, which could help you lose weight.

You can try it by adding some extra protein to your meals. Give yourself a week, boosting protein gradually.

Remember, calories still count. You’ll want to make good choices when you pick your protein.

If you plan to add a lot of protein to your diet, or if you have liver or kidney disease, check with your doctor first.

 

The Best Protein Sources

Choose protein sources that are nutrient-rich and lower in saturated fat and calories, such as:

  • Lean meats
  • Seafood
  • Beans
  • Soy
  • Low-fat dairy
  • Eggs
  • Nuts and seeds

It’s a good idea to change up your protein foods. For instance, you could have salmon or other fish that’s rich in omega-3s, beans or lentils that give you fiber as well as protein, walnuts on your salad, or almonds on your oatmeal.

 

How much protein are you getting? Here’s how many grams of protein are in these foods:

  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese: 14
  • 3 ounces tofu, firm: 13
  • 1/2 cup cooked lentils: 9
  • 2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter or almond butter: 8
  • 1 ounce cooked lean meat, fish, skinless poultry: 7
  • 1 ounce cheese: 7
  • 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans: 7
  • 1 ounce nuts: 4-7
  • 1 large egg: 6
  • 4 ounces low-fat plain yogurt: 6
  • 4 ounces soy milk: 5
  • 4 ounces low-fat milk: 4

 

Carbs and Fats

While you’re adding protein to your diet, you should also stock up on “smart carbs” such as:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Beans and legumes (both also have protein)
  • Low-fat milk and yogurt (both have protein)

Also try healthy fats such as:

  • Nuts and natural-style nut butters
  • Seeds
  • Olives
  • Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil
  • Fish
  • Avocados

 

To help manage your appetite, it also helps to split your daily calories into four or five smaller meals or snacks.

Your body will see more benefit if you spread those grams out over the course of the day rather than loading up at one or two meals. People who balance their protein throughout the day, eating some at each meal, saw more weight loss or maintenance than those who skimped on the nutrient at certain meals, reports a new study analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 

Article Source:

http://www.webmd.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Behavior Modification Ideas for Weight Management

 

 

Weight management involves adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a knowledge of nutrition and exercise, a positive attitude and the right kind of motivation. Internal motives such as better health, increased energy, self-esteem and personal control increase your chances of lifelong weight management success.

Remember to have realistic goals and think long-term success. Believe in yourself and you can do it. The following information will give you ideas to help you meet your goals.

Control Your Home Environment

  • Eat only while sitting down at the kitchen or dining room table. Do not eat while watching television, reading, cooking, talking on the phone, standing at the refrigerator or working on the computer.
  • Keep tempting foods out of the house — don’t buy them.
  • Keep tempting foods out of sight. Have low-calorie foods ready to eat.
  • Unless you are preparing a meal, stay out of the kitchen.
  • Have healthy snacks at your disposal, such as small pieces of fruit, vegetables, canned fruit, pretzels, low-fat string cheese and nonfat cottage cheese.

Control Your Work Environment

  • Do not eat at your desk or keep tempting snacks at your desk.
  • If you get hungry between meals, plan healthy snacks and bring them with you to work.
  • During your breaks, go for a walk instead of eating.
  • If you work around food, plan in advance the one item you will eat at mealtime.
  • Make it inconvenient to nibble on food by chewing gum, sugarless candy or drinking water or another low-calorie beverage.
  • Do not work through meals. Skipping meals slows down metabolism and may result in overeating at the next meal.
  • If food is available for special occasions, either pick the healthiest item, nibble on low-fat snacks brought from home, don’t have anything offered, choose one option and have a small amount, or have only a beverage.

 

 

Control Your Mealtime Environment

  • Serve your plate of food at the stove or kitchen counter. Do not put the serving dishes on the table. If you do put dishes on the table, remove them immediately when finished eating.
  • Fill half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with starch.
  • Use smaller plates, bowls and glasses. A smaller portion will look large when it is in a little dish.
  • Politely refuse second helpings.
  • When fixing your plate, limit portions of food to one scoop/serving or less.

Daily Food Management

  • Replace eating with another activity that you will not associate with food.
  • Wait 20 minutes before eating something you are craving.
  • Drink a large glass of water or diet soda before eating.
  • Always have a big glass or bottle of water to drink throughout the day.
  • Avoid high-calorie add-ons such as cream with your coffee, butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings.

Shopping:

  • Do not shop when hungry or tired.
  • Shop from a list and avoid buying anything that is not on your list.
  • If you must have tempting foods, buy individual-sized packages and try to find a lower-calorie alternative.
  • Don’t taste test in the store.
  • Read food labels. Compare products to help you make the healthiest choices.

Preparation:

  • Chew a piece of gum while cooking meals.
  • Use a quarter teaspoon if you taste test your food.
  • Try to only fix what you are going to eat, leaving yourself no chance for seconds.
  • If you have prepared more food than you need, portion it into individual containers and freeze or refrigerate immediately.
  • Don’t snack while cooking meals.

Eating:

  • Eat slowly. Remember it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that it is full. Don’t let fake hunger make you think you need more.
  • The ideal way to eat is to take a bite, put your utensil down, take a sip of water, cut your next bite, take a bit, put your utensil down and so on.
  • Do not cut your food all at one time. Cut only as needed.
  • Take small bites and chew your food well.
  • Stop eating for a minute or two at least once during a meal or snack. Take breaks to reflect and have conversation.

Cleanup and Leftovers:

  • Label leftovers for a specific meal or snack.
  • Freeze or refrigerate individual portions of leftovers.
  • Do not clean up if you are still hungry.

Eating Out and Social Eating

  • Do not arrive hungry. Eat something light before the meal.
  • Try to fill up on low-calorie foods, such as vegetables and fruit, and eat smaller portions of the high-calorie foods.
  • Eat foods that you like, but choose small portions.
  • If you want seconds, wait at least 20 minutes after you have eaten to see if you are actually hungry or if your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
  • Limit alcoholic beverages. Try a soda water with a twist of lime.
  • Do not skip other meals in the day to save room for the special event.

At Restaurants:

  • Order à la carte rather than buffet style.
  • Order some vegetables or a salad for an appetizer instead of eating bread.
  • If you order a high-calorie dish, share it with someone.
  • Try an after-dinner mint with your coffee. If you do have dessert, share it with two or more people.
  • Don’t overeat because you do not want to waste food. Ask for a doggie bag to take extra food home.
  • Tell the server to put half of your entree in a to go bag before the meal is served to you.
  • Ask for salad dressing, gravy or high-fat sauces on the side. Dip the tip of your fork in the dressing before each bite.
  • If bread is served, ask for only one piece. Try it plain without butter or oil. At Italian restaurants where oil and vinegar is served with bread, use only a small amount of oil and a lot of vinegar for dipping.

At a Friend’s House:

  • Offer to bring a dish, appetizer or dessert that is low in calories.
  • Serve yourself small portions or tell the host that you only want a small amount.
  • Stand or sit away from the snack table. Stay away from the kitchen or stay busy if you are near the food.
  • Limit your alcohol intake.

At Buffets and Cafeterias:

  • Cover most of your plate with lettuce and/or vegetables.
  • Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
  • After eating, clear away your dishes before having coffee or tea.

Entertaining at Home:

  • Explore low-fat, low-cholesterol cookbooks.
  • Use single-serving foods like chicken breasts or hamburger patties.
  • Prepare low-calorie appetizers and desserts.

Holidays:

  • Keep tempting foods out of sight.
  • Decorate the house without using food.
  • Have low-calorie beverages and foods on hand for guests.
  • Allow yourself one planned treat a day.
  • Don’t skip meals to save up for the holiday feast. Eat regular, planned meals.

Exercise Well

  • Make exercise a priority and a planned activity in the day.
  • If possible, walk the entire or part of the distance to work.
  • Get an exercise buddy. Go for a walk with a colleague during one of your breaks, go to the gym, run or take a walk with a friend, walk in the mall with a shopping companion.
  • Park at the end of the parking lot and walk to the store or office entrance.
  • Always take the stairs all of the way or at least part of the way to your floor.
  • If you have a desk job, walk around the office frequently.
  • Do leg lifts while sitting at your desk.
  • Do something outside on the weekends like going for a hike or a bike ride.

Have a Healthy Attitude

  • Make health your weight management priority.
  • Be realistic. Have a goal to achieve a healthier you, not necessarily the lowest weight or ideal weight based on calculations or tables.
  • Focus on a healthy eating style, not on dieting. Dieting usually lasts for a short amount of time and rarely produces long-term success.
  • Think long term. You are developing new healthy behaviors to follow next month, in a year and in a decade.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care provider. We encourage you to discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.

Source: http://www.ucsfhealth.org/