POST HOLIDAY DIET AND EXERCISE TIPS
Happy New Year! Was one of your resolutions eating healthy and exercising?
The key is to pick a few small, manageable steps.
HOW CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT SAFELY THIS YEAR?
Here are a few tips:
- Eat vegetables first. Start meals with a salad, low calorie vegetable soup, or other vegetable choice. Eating the lower calorie foods first will help fill you up so you are likely to eat less higher calorie foods at a meal.
- Eat mindfully. Savor the foods you are eating. Notice the smell, texture and taste. If the food doesn’t taste good or meet your expectations, don’t finish the portion just because it is in front of you.
- Skip some of the extras or use less. Use less butter or dressings when dining out; hold off on the high fat appetizers. Use less oil when cooking at home.
- Practice moderation. Start looking at the labels of commonly consumed foods at home. Make a point to start using the suggested serving sizes, and keep snacks less than 200 calories.
Keep in mind that it takes 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat. Making small changes at each meal can help reduce your daily calorie intake by almost 500 calories a day. This adds up to 3500 calories over the week, and aiming to lose one pound per week is a reasonable weight loss goal.
WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE?
Here is one way to improve your fitness level.
Try scheduling four or five 15-to-20 minute walks or runs into your schedule for the week. This is a reasonable approach to build fitness and to establish a routine.
Schedule your exercise days and make them non-negotiable.