Category | News

Health Beat: Maximize your losses

Published on February 13, 2007 by The Sentinel

    Weight loss and weight gain happen the same way: one pound at a time. If losing weight was a New Year’s resolution you’ve not yet started on, resolve to lose one pound. When you succeed, resolve to lose another.   We don’t have magic pills to make it easier, but we offer these ideas to help you get going.     And if you’re already losing, congratulations! Maybe these ideas will help keep you going.

SNEAK IN SOME EXERCISE
-Take three 10-minute walks during the day.
-Do lunges, wall sits or curl-ups during commercials.
-Park farther from the door.
-Take the stairs.
-Do one more lunge, walk five minutes longer or run one block farther than you did last week.
Bonus: One study showed that people who lost weight through diet alone also lost bone density. Those who lost through exercise alone didn’t lose as quickly but also didn’t lose bone density.

TIPS FOR THOSE WITH KIDS
-Talk about appropriate portions, not about “dieting.”
-Don’t use food as a reward.
-Take a walk or play tag until you’re all huffing and puffing.
-Turn the TV off during mealtime.
-Let children portion out their own food. Like the rest of us, they’ll overeat when given too much.

CONTROLLING PORTIONS
-Use smaller plates, serving bowls and utensils, to make small servings seem bigger.
-A serving of cereal will probably fit in a coffee mug, with room for milk. And it will look like more than if you put the same amount in a bowl.
-Use a sundae cup for ice cream, so that a half-cup serving doesn’t get overwhelmed.
-Portion out a snack. Put the rest away, to keep from munching mindlessly. [Use a portion-controlled product such as a 100-calorie package if this proves too difficult.]
-Portion meat and potatoes in the kitchen. Let diners serve themselves fruit, vegetables and salad.
-Measure your food, so you know how much a serving is.
-Eyeball when you can’t measure: A fist is about a cup. A deck of cards is a 3-ounce serving of meat. Your thumb, to the knuckle, is a teaspoon. A computer mouse is a medium baked potato.

100-CALORIE [OR LESS] SNACKS
-Half an apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter
-10 almonds
-Small baked potato with ½ cup salsa and 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream
-6-ounce carton of no-fat or low-fat yogurt
-Fat-free pudding cup
-48 pretzel sticks
-One cup baby carrots
-Four chocolate kisses
-One cup of buttered popcorn, or three cups of plain
-One medium orange or banana

EASY SUBSTITUTIONS
-In place of a tablespoon of butter, use a tablespoon of unsweetened apple butter. Savings: 67 calories.
-In place of a 4-ounce glass of wine, have a glass of water. Savings: 80 to 100 calories.
-In place of an ounce of chips and 2 tablespoons of dip, have baked tortilla chips and salsa. Savings: 85 calories.
-In place of a Quarter Pounder with cheese and medium fries, have a regular cheeseburger and small fries. Savings: 330 calories.

A FEW MORE THINGS
-Eat slowly. Savor the flavor, and thoroughly chew your food.
-Eat often. Have a small meal or snack every three to four hours, to maintain energy.
-Eat breakfast. Combine whole grain and protein (a piece of whole-wheat toast and a little peanut butter, for example).
-”Low fat,” “trans-fat free,” “fiber rich” and similar terms don’t mean “calorie free.”
-Hide your treats at the back of your pantry, and put healthy options in plain view.
- Spend calories wisely. Pretend you’re a restaurant reviewer: If you don’t love the food, don’t finish it.
-Use the tape measure as well as the scale.
-Keep a food journal. Make it simple or elaborate. Studies show that using any kind of food journal helps you eat less.
-Don’t overly restrict calories; your body will respond by going into starvation mode.
-Brush your teeth or rinse with mouthwash after a meal, to cleanse your palate.
-If you just can’t do it, don’t. Losing weight takes time and energy, and if you’re not really motivated now, try again later.