Guest Blogger: Vincci Tsui, RD
In the last part of the series, we've determined that cleanses/detoxes, low-carb and gluten-free all aren't healthful and sustainable ways to lose weight. I should probably add that most other diet books and programs would fall under that category, and there is no evidence that specific foods or supplements can significantly boost your metabolism. The only thing losing weight there would be your bank account.
So, what does work when it comes to weight loss? Last week, I mentioned that at the end of the day, it is about calories. And it's about reducing calories in a way that doesn't suck. Because if you're hungry all the time, cutting out all your favourite foods or constantly in pain from all the extra exercise you're doing, then you're probably not going to keep doing it and you'll go back to your usual, higher calorie habits.
Here are some tips that have worked for my clients in the past, meaning that they can work for anyone at anytime - not just before a wedding.
Be patient! Remember that healthy weight loss is a maximum of 1-2 pounds per week, and it is normal for weight to plateau or even go up a bit as you embark on your weight loss/healthy eating journey.
Start small and SMART.
It's very easy when getting ready for lifestyle change to want to do everything (!) RIGHT NOW (!!!) That can easily get overwhelming, stressful and discouraging. When you're done reading this list, pick one or two things that you'd like to try, or pick something that's worked for you in the past as a place to start, then set a SMART goal.
You might have encountered SMART goals in the past. Everyone seems to know a different variation on the acronym - this is mine:
Specific: When clients first see me, many state it's because they want to "eat less" or "eat better". Less of what? What does eating "better" look like? A SMART goal should be able to answer the 5W's and serve as a mini-action plan.
Measurable: A better way to phrase this is, "How will you know when you've achieved the goal?" Perhaps eating better for you means eating more vegetables. To make this measurable, you may want to increase the volume that you eat in a meal, or increase the number of times you have vegetables in a day or a week.
Action: The reason for setting goals is so that you will go out and do it, which is why I shy away from setting weight goals. While "lose" is a verb, we can't just will ourselves to lose a specific amount of weight... otherwise I'd be out of business! Set a goal about what you can do that can lead to weight loss. Again, this list of tips may help.
Realistic: Start small. You might feel like you're not setting the bar high enough, but the point of setting small, achievable goals is that we all like positive reinforcement. Don't stop after you achieve the first goal, but celebrate the small success and allow it to snowball into more and more change.
Timeframe: Setting a timeframe for your goal gives a sense of urgency and priority. Notice how you're always procrastinating about cleaning your house until you know that company's coming? When there's a deadline, you're more likely to get started.
Eat every 3-5 hours.
While many are embracing the tip to eat small meals more often, there are still some people out there who think skipping breakfast or working through lunch is the key to losing weight. If we're trying to take in fewer calories, we should eat less often, right?
Though there is the belief that eating more regularly helps to "stoke the fire" and keep our metabolism going, what it actually does is to help manage our hunger.
Think about the last time that you were *STARVING*... you probably weren't craving a salad, right? When we're hungry, we tend to eat more convenience foods, serve ourselves bigger portions and eat faster, which makes it hard for our stomach to communicate to the brain that it's full. Eating regularly means that we go into our meals and snacks ready to eat, but not *STARVING*, making it easier to make healthy choices in terms of what, how much and how fast we eat.
Don't drink your calories.
Liquids go through our bodies faster than solids, and they don't make us feel any fuller. Imagine eating a meal with a glass of wine versus a glass of water - you'd probably eat the same amount, but having the wine would add an extra 100-150 calories!
When it comes to where our liquid calories come from, there are two main culprits: alcohol and the coffee shop. A standard serving of alcohol (a 12 oz bottle or can of beer, a 5 oz glass of wine, 1.5 oz liquor) will set you back about 100-200 calories. Add mixer to them and they'll clock in at more - some pina coladas have up to 400 calories, which is more than a medium order of fries at McDonald's!
I always joke that the longer the name of your Starbucks drink, the more calories it probably has. And yes, I wept a little too when I found out that a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte has 380 calories
(those fries are sounding more and more delicious.) Don't worry, I'm not telling you to cut up that Gold Card! Swap that Grande for a Tall, or even a Short (8 oz), skip the whipped cream and ask for skim milk, and ta-da! You've instantly shaved off almost 200 calories.
Eat mostly foods prepared at home.
Eating out more than two times per week can increase your calorie intake for the week by over 34%, which is no surprise, given that the average restaurant entree clocks in 1,000 calories. (To put it into perspective, for weight loss, most people should be aiming for 1,500-1,800 calories.) A restaurants' focus is on the food's taste and on getting you back through the door, even if you are making the same dishes at home, you probably won't be using as much fat, sugar and/or salt as you're favourite eatery. When you're in control of the ingredients, preparation method and portion size, it'll help you get slimmer while your wallet gets fatter.
Fill half your plate with vegetables.
When it comes to weight loss, many people focus on eating less and sometimes come out starving. This tip is great because it focuses on the type of food you're eating. Still serve yourself a full plate, but instead of having most of the plate being taken over by your 8 oz steak or even a giant chicken breast (or pasta or rice if you're a carb lover like me), fill half your plate with vegetables first. It's OK to have two types of vegetables, or serve a salad and a cooked vegetable if the idea of a mountain of broccoli seems daunting. Divide the rest of your plate between your lean proteins and whole grains or other high-fibre starchy foods.
This method works because you still get a full plate of food, but by replacing some of your higher calorie foods with low calorie, high nutrient vegetables, you can cut down your calorie intake while still feeling satisfied.
Add movement to your day.
I generally spend more time talking about calories in versus calories out partly because I am a dietitian, but also because exercise doesn't really burn a lot of calories. Still, moving in a way that you enjoy can have lots of other health benefits, like better sleep and mood, and lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Staying active may also keep you more motivated to make healthier choices.
If you're not a fan of slogging it out at the gym, choose something you like, whether it's dancing the night away, getting a quick breath of fresh air with a brisk walk, or learning a new sport.
Write it down.
While food journals can feel tedious, they can be worth it. In 2008, a study out of the Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute found that people who kept a daily food journal lost twice as much weight as people who didn't. A food journal can be a way to help you stay accountable to yourself, as well as a tool to make it easier to see "problem" areas, such as food choices that tend to be higher in calories or meal spacing during the day. The food journal is not meant to be used to "judge" or "evaluate" your eating - think of your weight loss journey as a big experiment and your journal as an observation or log book.
The basic things to keep track of in a food journal should be the times you eat, what and how much you're eating. There are lots of food journals available for purchase at bookstores, there are many downloadable templates online, or even make your own Excel spreadsheet. (Hello, accountants and engineers!) There are also lots of food journalling apps and websites that allow you to track and calculate your calorie intake wherever you go. Whichever method you choose, remember that the most important part is that you're doing it, so pick one that works well for you!
I hope you will try a few of these tips and let us know how they work for you - good luck and happy wedding!
Vincci is a Calgary-based dietitian who loves nutritious food that nourishes. She has featured on a variety of local and national media, including Breakfast Television Calgary, Global Calgary, Fairchild Radio, Canadian Living and Best Health magazine. For more information on Vincci and her services, please visit www.vinccitsui.com.
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