|
Take it Off in 2001
Catherine Kruppa, MS, RD, LD
With the start of a new year always comes
New Year's Resolutions. At the top of many American's list is weight
loss. A very small percentage of these people actually keep their
resolution all year long. Making small, realistic changes that naturally
fit into your lifestyle is the way to go. Here are a few ideas to
get you started. Pick one diet pattern and stick to it for a few
weeks. Once you have that one mastered move on to another. You do
not have to change every bad eating habit at one time. Short-term
goals will help you lose the weight and keep it off.
- Keep a food journal.
People lose 10% more weight when they keep a food record. They
find that they are much less likely to eat something if they know
they have to write it down. Journals also help to identify and
eliminate bad eating habits such as grazing on unhealthful foods
or stress eating.
- Think small. Try using smaller
plates and bowls. This will help you to reduce your portion sizes
without feeling deprived by the empty space on the plate.
- Say no to sweets. Instead,
snack on pretzels or bananas. To satisfy your sweet tooth, try
eating 5 fruits per day. You will save a tremendous amount of
calories and gain valuable vitamins and minerals. You will also
be surprised at how your sweet tooth diminishes.
- Drink less alcohol.
An alcoholic beverage can range in calories from 50-500 calories
per drink. Unfortunately, liquid calories do not trip our satiety
mechanism, meaning they do not make us feel full. Additionally,
alcohol tends to make us feel less full, leading us to intake
additional calories. Drink in moderation, which is 1 drink per
day for women and two for men.
- Eat your veggies. Vegetables
are extremely low in calories and are chalked full of fiber, vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants to fight disease. Try eating 2 vegetables
at lunch and dinner; this will cut down your consumption of high
calorie foods.
- Drink more water. Water can
actually help burn fat. Not only does water keep you full, but
it is also essential for the metabolism of fat. Shoot for a minimum
of 64 ounces per day and watch that fat melt away.
Changing one or two of your diet patterns
can make a difference in your overall health. I challenge you to
use these eating tips to help make 2001 your best ever!
Read other articles
by Catherine Kruppa
|
