11Tips
1.Don't skip breakfast. Research shows that the most successful "losers" never skip it. Try to keep it balanced with some protein, a healthy carb, and a small amount of fat. Here are some examples: an egg-white omelet with fresh berries and a piece of whole-wheat toast, or a skim milk shake with fruit and yogurt. At night, I make my breakfast. ½ cup of oats, ½ cup milk, cup of drained mandarin oranges, and some raisins. Cover and put in fridge, ready to go in the am.
2.Have a mid-afternoon snack. This will curb your appetite and provide fuel for your after-work walk or workout at the gym. Some great snack ideas include: reduced-fat peanut butter on a multi-grain cracker, a couple of pieces of low-fat string cheese and an apple, cottage cheese with pineapple, or try a low-fat cheese microwaved in a whole-wheat pita. I have an apple.
3.No late-night eating. If you eat a lot of excess calories after 8 p.m., you wear them the next morning. Put a stop to this by making sure you have a healthy dinner consisting of lean protein, veggies, and fruit.
4.Set Goals! Write down three or four realistic goals that you can stick to. For example, "I will try to lose one pound of body fat every week.I will walk for 30 minutes minimum 3 days a week." Avoid fantasy-land goals that will only frustrate you. “I will weigh myself every Wed morning at 7am and record my weight.”
5.Get support and a reliable workout partner. Whether it's your best friend, spouse, or pet, it helps to have some nonjudgmental and nurturing support when trying to lose weight, especially during trying times. They will pick you up the days you don’t want to workout and vice versa. It helps if this person has similar goals and enjoys the same activities as you.
6.Drink water! See attachment…also see #2.
7.Eat slower & chew more! It takes about 10-20 minutes for your brain to tell your tummy, you are full.
8.Make it fun! Pick activities that are fun and you enjoy doing. For me, its competition. I play racquetball Wed and Fri morning from 5:30-6:30 am, showered and on the road, with my coffee, to school by 6:55.
9.Reward yourself! If you enjoy sweets, have some from time to time. Do not punish yourself by abstaining 100%.
10. Avoid Empty Calories Empty calories are calories with no nutritional value. Soda and alcohol are great examples.
11. Become more educated!
- It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change.
- Learn the ingredients in foods to avoid.
This is the food that will age you – whether it’s stashed in your fridge, pantry, car, desk drawer or purse. Toss any foods containing any of the following as the first 4 ingredients on the label:
-Saturated fats – any fat that comes from 4-legged animals, or palm and coconut oil
-Hydrogenated fat (trans fat) – primary omega-6 fat found in corn oil and soybean oil
-Simple sugars – those ending in –ose, like sucrose, glucose, maltose, and fructose, or sugar alcohols that end in –ol, and syrups
-Any non-whole grain – such as bleached or enriched flour
-Anything with 4 or more grams of sugars per serving