BodySense Blog

10 Steps to Manage Your Weight

Practice these simple, everyday food and fitness smarts to keep your hard-fought new weight.

You've just lost weight and you don't want to see that number go back up on your scale. With these 10 tricks from dietitians and successful dieters, you'll be able to maintain your weight with ease.

1. Build more lean muscle. Maintain, or even increase, your metabolism by continuing to build lean muscle. "Muscle has a higher metabolism than fat does," explains Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.
   
2. Fight off hunger with more filling foods. A three-year University of Pittsburgh study of 284 women between the ages of 25 and 45 found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. "Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
   
3. Avoid temptation. The University of Pittsburgh study also found that women who best controlled their weight were good at resisting the temptation to binge on forbidden treats. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.
   
4. Count calories. Another hallmark of successful weight maintenance, according to the University of Pittsburgh study, is regularly counting calories. Use your calculator to keep a running total throughout the day if that helps you keeps track of calorie consumption. Maintaining weight loss is hard; it's okay to be as careful as you were during the weight- loss phase of your diet.
   
5. Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.
   
6. Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a weight loss. You should aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.
   
7. Measure your portions. According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.
   
8. Weigh yourself daily. The same CDC study reported that people who weigh themselves once a day are twice as successful at keeping off lost weight as those who don't step on the scale as often. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.
   
9. Include dairy in your diet. According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.
   
10.   Let your plate be your guide. When you can't count calories or measure portions accurately, Banes recommends using the "plate method" as a way to control the amount you're eating. A great tip for dieters, it works just as well for people on a maintenance plan. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit or low-fat dairy.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

8 Good-for-You Indulgences

Ever think that maintaining good health is more about what you can't do that what you can? Here are 8 pointers that will debunk that myth--stat!

Nibble before dinner
Having about 70 calories of healthy fat 20 minutes before you eat—that’s six walnuts, 12 almonds or 20 peanuts—can trick you into thinking you’re full faster. This works because good fats stimulate the production of a hormone that sends the signal to your brain that you’ve eaten enough.

Have pizza night
Pizza is often dismissed as unhealthy, but if you use whole-wheat crust and lowfat cheese, and pile on the veggies (skip the pepperoni and ground beef), it’s one of the most nutritionally sound meals around.

Juice it up
So long to its reputation as a sugar and calorie bomb. New research has found that drinking fruit and vegetable juices can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 76 percent and help lower cholesterol. Just make sure you go for 100 percent juice (read labels carefully).

Put pasta on the menu
Choose multigrain varieties, says Jennifer Vimbor, R.D., a Chicago-based nutritionist. “They’re loaded with fiber to help you get the recommended 25 grams per day.”

Drink a fruity cocktail
Research shows that alcohol can increase the level of antioxidants in certain fruits, including strawberries and blackberries.

Express yourself
When people wrote affectionately about their close friends and family in three 20-minute sessions, their cholesterol levels dropped an average of 11 points.

Go shopping
Buying something as small as a lipstick can give your mood a lift, plus you can burn up to 160 extra calories walking around the mall (as always, be sure to choose a parking spot in the last row).

Do the dishes
Increasing light physical activity—such as washing dishes and ironing—can lower blood glucose levels and may reduce the risk of diabetes, according to research published in the journal Diabetes Care.

By Anna Roufos Posted December 09, 2008 from Woman's Day

10 Menu Words That Tip You Off to High Fat

1. Breaded. These items aren't just coated in bread crumbs--they're often fried in hot fat.

2. Au gratin. These dishes are topped with cheese or bread crumbs mixed with butter--and that piles on extra calories and fat.

3. Casserole. These often contain rich sauces and high-fat ingredients such as cheese.

4. Carbonara. This butter-and-cream-based sauce contains eggs, Parmesan cheese and bits of bacon.

5. Creamy. These sauces almost always contain a high amount of fat.

6. Sautéed. Sautéing uses oil to cook food, which adds fat.

7. Tempura. Sure, it's fish and vegetables, but this Japanese specialty is typically batter-dipped and/or deep-fried.

8. Gravy. Made from the fat and juices that escape from the meat as it roasts, gravy is loaded with calories and fat.

9. Fried. Basically, this means cooking in hot fat.

10. Bisque. This thick and rich cream soup is high in fat.

Revolution Health Group

Eating Mindfully

An exercise in mindfulness training, a Buddhist meditation practice, is to put a raisin in your mouth and see how long you can keep it there while paying attention to its taste and texture. Mindfulness is the technique of bringing all of our awareness to the here and now, to the sensations in our bodies and our breathing, for example, rather than letting much of it slip away in contemplation of the past and future or of other subjects that are not real. The assumption is that when we act with full awareness, our actions are more likely to achieve what we intend, and that when we feel with full awareness, we are more likely to feel fulfilled.

Many people perform the act of eating semiconsciously, swallowing food without really tasting it or focusing their attention on the next bite before they have enjoyed the present one. Others talk, read, or watch television while eating, directing their attention incompletely to their food. One consequence of unmindful eating is overeating. Who has not mindlessly shoveled in quantities of popcorn or chips while watching a movie or staring at a television screen? Another consequence of unmindful eating is failure to get full sensory pleasure from food.

I notice that if food is really good, conversation at the table is reduced to a minimum, and people concentrate on the enjoyment of the moment. Then they are likely to eat less and enjoy it more.

We eat automatically out of habit. To break the habit requires motivation and practice. Try the raisin exercise to see how long you can go without chewing it up or swallowing it. When food is served to you, take a moment to fully appreciate its appearance and aroma before starting to eat. When you first taste it, try to give it your full attention. l think you will find, as I have, that eating mindfully heightens the pleasure of the experience.

Weil Lifestyle

Dining Out? How to Make Healthy Choices

With a little thought and common sense, you can eat a healthy meal out, whether it's at a fast-food restaurant, diner or fancy restaurant

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"To achieve balance when you order a restaurant meal, keep in mind the foods you've eaten that day and order accordingly," says Annette B. Natow, Ph.D., R.D., coauthor several nutrition books, including The Fat Counter.

If you had a lunch that was high in fat, order a low-fat dinner, or if you didn't have vegetables at lunch, have steamed broccoli or green salad with your dinner entree.

Dr. Natow also offers these ideas to make your meals out healthier.

Hamburgers

Your healthiest choice is a plain hamburger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and ketchup or mustard. "If you like the larger combo burgers or cheeseburgers, consider sharing one with a companion and ordering a large salad or baked potato as a side," Dr. Natow says.

Pizza

The healthiest toppings are broccoli, tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms. Pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese are acceptable only if you order them occasionally.

Chicken

The healthiest chicken meals are made with grilled or broiled chicken instead of fried or battered-and-fried poultry. "If you want a chicken sandwich, hold the creamy dressing and use mustard, salsa, ketchup or barbecue sauce," Dr. Natow says. "Including lettuce, onions and tomato adds nutrients and fiber without adding fat."

Seafood

Choose broiled or grilled fish most of the time. Limit fried or breaded-and-fried fish to an occasional treat. You should also order boiled, steamed or grilled shrimp instead of breaded-and-fried shrimp.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches made with multigrain bread or rolls instead of croissants contain less fat and more fiber. Go easy on cheese and creamy sauces, such as mayonnaise; try spicy mustard or salsa instead. Add plenty of lettuce, sliced onions, sprouts, grated carrots, grilled vegetables and tomatoes.

Breakfast

You can eat breakfast out and have a healthy meal every day of the week. Here are examples: a bagel and low-fat cream cheese; pancakes or waffles with syrup and fresh fruit; hot or cold cereal with low-fat milk and fruit; half a grapefruit; a scrambled egg with whole-wheat toast or English muffin.

Chinese food

Choose steamed dumplings or a clear soup instead of a deep-fried appetizer. The healthiest dishes are stir-fried, boiled and steamed entrees; sweet-and-sour dishes and deep-fried entrees are higher in calories and fat. Ask for steamed rice instead of fried. Request that your food be prepared with no MSG if you're watching how much salt you eat.

Italian food

Start with minestrone soup, a steamed artichoke or a mixed salad lightly dressed with vinegar and oil. Have pasta topped with roasted vegetables or plain tomato sauce. "If you sprinkle on grated cheese, use a small amount," Dr. Natow says. If you want something with a cream, meat or shellfish sauce, order it as an appetizer or get just a half-portion of an entree dish. Instead of garlic bread, have plain bread, breadsticks or bruschetta.

Mexican food

Start with a bean soup or gazpacho. Bean burritos with a little cheese, soft chicken tacos and lean beef or chicken fajitas are healthy main courses. Avoid fatty toppings, such as cheese sauces, sour cream and guacamole. Healthier toppings include salsa, pico de gallo, red sauce and green sauce.

Staywell Custom Communications