With the holidays behind us, many of us have already made our New Year’s resolutions. Setting goals for 2009 shows a desire to want to change and improve your life. This is great, but many of us set unrealistic goals like wanting to lose 50 pounds in two months. Erma Bombeck once wrote that “one third of all people are currently on a diet, one third just fell off a diet, and one third are contemplating going on a diet tomorrow.” The truth is, diets don’t work-- at least not what most people think of as traditional diets. If they did, all dieters would be thin. Diets make us feel lousy, grouchy, irritable, edgy, guilty, and anxious. Dieting usually makes us gain weight, because traditional diets are for short term weight loss. Instead, decide to make eating habits that will result in long term weight loss and a healthful lifestyle.
Eating is for enjoyment as well as for energy. Your mental being needs to enjoy what you eat, while your physical being is nourished with energy and fuel. The media teaches us that food is the enemy. We are left with cold shakes, chalky supplement bars, and are made to feel guilty when we do enjoy a meal. To lose weight and keep it off, fuel your body during the day by eating like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a pauper for dinner. Wake up hungry for breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Skipping meals will only lead to ravenous hunger and overeating. A healthy eating plan can be obtained by using the tips below. If weight loss is desired, start with the lower number of servings from each food group but be sure to include a variety of food from each of the five food groups listed. Remember, portion control is key!
Healthy Eating Tips:
1. Choose lower fat foods. Look for low-fat, light or fat-free foods. Fats and sweets should be used sparingly. They are high in “empty” calories and low in nutrients.
2. Eat 2-3 servings of meat and meat alternatives per day. Choose lean meats and poultry. Trim off any visible fat before cooking. Include other protein choices like fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. One serving equals 2-3 oz. of lean meat, ½ c cooked beans, ½ c egg substitute.
3. Do not fry foods. Boil, bake, broil, roast, grill, steam, and stir-fry foods. Limit added fats including oil and butter.
4. Limit whole eggs or egg yolks to four per week. Egg beaters or egg whites are great.
5. Eat 2-4 servings of fruit daily. One serving equals 1 medium size fruit, ½ c canned fruit, 4oz fruit juice, or ¼ c dried fruit. Limit juices which have added sugars.
6. Eat 3-5 servings of vegetables daily. One serving equals 1 cup raw vegetables, ½ cup cooked vegetables, or 6 oz. of vegetable juice. Eat a variety of vegetables, including dark green and orange veggies.
7. Include calcium-rich foods in your eating plan. Choose 2-3 servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese per day. One serving equals 1 cup milk or yogurt, or 2 oz. of low-fat cheese.
8. Eat 6-11 servings of grains per day. One serving equals 1 slice of bread, ½ cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta, ¾ cup unsweetened cereal, ½ bagel, or 4-6 crackers.
Exercise or some type of physical activity will help you lose weight and keep it off. The exercise schedule or activity should be one that you can do on a daily basis, easy for you to stick with, and fits into your lifestyle. Start out slowly. You can turn up the gas as you feel fit! A slow but steady weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is the best for keeping it off long term.
So let’s make this the year to set goals, get fit, and be on your way to a healthier you!
by Ginger Carroll, Chief Clinical Dietitian at Medical West