Easy Calorie Cuts and Swaps

Have you reached a weight loss plateau?  Sometimes a few dietary cuts and swaps can help you start shedding pounds again so you’ll reach your goal weight.  Below are some helpful tips to help you reduce calories.

 Remember:  Approximately 3500 calories = 1 pound.

Don’t eat off your kid’s plate!  You could be consuming 250 or more calories a day by eating leftover macaroni and cheese.

Don’t drink your calories!  Check the label – even some “healthy” waters contain 32 grams of sugar (8 teaspoons and 128 calories).

Salads are a great way to get your 5 vegetables a day, but beware of salad dressing!   Two tablespoons of Caesar dressing contain 100 calories and 9 grams of fat (that means 81 of the 100 calories are FAT).  Also, read the label to avoid partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils (also known as trans fat).

Reduce your cheese intake!  Cheese is high in calories and fat.  If you find it hard to stick to an ounce (the size of your thumb) skip it.

Swap a calorie dense creamy sauce for a lower calorie marinara sauce.  Also, think about eating whole grain pasta and watch your serving size!  If you’ve already had grains at breakfast and lunch, it’s probably best to avoid them at dinner.

But...it’s good fat!  Avocados, olive oil, and nuts are all healthy fats, but the calories add up quickly even in small amounts.  We need fat for vitamin absorption, but we do not need excess fat.  Recommended fat intake is between 25-30% of one’s daily caloric intake. Very few American’s need to worry about lack of fat in their diet!

Most people know swapping raw vegetable for potato chips and other snack crackers is a good idea, but it may be best to not purchase snack items if they are tempting.  Set yourself up for success!

Here’s a tip I started using several years ago:  use non-fat evaporated milk as your morning coffee creamer – it provides a great color and flavor without adding fat and excessive calories.

A few cuts and swaps can add up to a couple hundred calories a day and you’ll adopt even better eating habits too!

Get Your Zzz's

Sleep - we all need it!  Many people skimp on sleep to meet all the demands of the day.  The National Sleep Foundation (2013) states adults need between 7-9 hours per night. Studies show those sleeping only 4-5 hours have negative physiological and neurobehavioral consequences (National Sleep Foundation, 2013).  Some people have a gene enabling them to do well on only six hours of sleep a night; however, the gene appears in less than 3% of the population (HelpGuide.org, 2013).

Studies show not getting enough sleep increases:

     The risk of motor vehicle accidents

     Colds (decreases immunity)

     Appetite with a greater likelihood of obesity

     Risk of diabetes

     Risk of heart problems

     Risk for psychiatric conditions including depression

     Substance abuse

     Lack of attention (National Sleep Foundation, 2013).

To optimize sleep try:

Going to bed and waking at the same time every day, even

    weekends. 

To sleep at least seven hours. 

To increase sleep, go to bed 15 minutes earlier every few

     nights until you achieve at least seven hours of sleep. 

To turn off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed. 

Going to bed instead of falling asleep on the sofa. 

Clearing your mind – meditate. 

Limiting caffeine and alcohol.    

Sleep is an important aspect of emotional, physiological, spiritual, and physical health.  Make sleep a priority!   

 

References:

HelpGuide.org. (2013). How much sleep do you need? Retrieved from:  http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

The National Sleep Foundation. (2013). How much sleep do we really need. Retrieved from: http://www.sleepfoundation  org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

   

The Amazing Benefits of Moving More!

Do you take medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol?  Are these medications necessary because of your lifestyle?  Are you overweight and living a sedentary life?  

Taking medication often gives one a false sense of health – the problem is still present but disguised by an expensive pharmaceutical.  Being overweight and having a sedentary lifestyle are two risk factors contributing to these three common conditions. The good news is YOU can change your life and eliminate the need for medication*, save money, feel better, and look better. 

Physical activity helps prevent heart disease, reduces bad cholesterol, and may also eliminate or control diabetes.  It also slows bone and muscle loss due to advancing age and lowers the risk of certain cancers.  Many individuals also report a reduction in anxiety and depression (HHS, 2011).  All of these great benefits may be achieved just by moving more!

 COMMIT TO CHANGE!

How often do you say “I can’t?”  Well, you CAN if you choose!  YES, YOU CAN!  Start moving more to become a healthier you!

 “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading"

                                                                                                                            ~Lao Tzu

*Always consult with your physician before discontinuing a prescribed
medication.

References:

Department of Health & Human Services. (2011). Physical activity for a

     healthy weight. Retrieved by: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/

     physical_activity/index.html#Why.

Department of Health & Human Services. (2007). Overweight and

     obesity: what you can do. Retrieved from: http://www.surgeon

     general.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_whatcanyoudo.htm

Diet is NOT the Solution!

How many diets have you tried over the years?  Were they successful?  Most people “go on” a diet only to “fall off” the diet and then gain all their weight back and more! 

 STOP DIETING!

Dieting is a short-term strategy and is not the solution for long-term weight management.  You have to make lifestyle changes!  Change takes discipline and time.  You are changing for life, not for a wedding, class reunion, or birthday.  Yes, it may be difficult during the initial few weeks, but after few awhile it will be just like brushing your teeth.

Start by making conscious food choices!  Do you drink sodas or other caloric drinks – STOP!  You may be thinking the 100% juice you’re drinking is healthy, but you’re not getting the fiber and nutrients the fruit would provide.  Eat the whole fruit instead!  Do you eat out every day at lunch or dinner?  I recommend purchasing and eating food prepared from home for one week – no eating out!  Challenge yourself even further by not purchasing frozen or boxed meals. Try it, you’ll notice a difference!   You can do it!  

 “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”~Andy Warhol

Portion Distortion

Did you know?

“Adults today consume an average of 300 more calories per day than  they  did in 1985.

Portion sizes have grown dramatically over the last 40 years”
(American Heart Association, 2013).

On top of consuming more calories we’re moving less.  No wonder the United States is experiencing an obesity epidemic!

It can be hard to know a proper serving size when restaurants serve an abundance of food.  Choosing the right portion size will help you be more aware of the foods you are consuming.  Below are proper portion sizes related to everyday items:

     3 oz. of chicken         =    Deck of cards or the size of your palm
                                                           without fingers
     1 ½ oz. cheese          =    About the size of your thumb

     Vegetables/fruit         =    Size of your fist

     Potato                        =   Size of a computer mouse

     1 cup pasta               =    Size of a tennis ball

     1 tsp. butter               =    Tip of your thumb

Overeating often causes lethargy.  Try reducing your serving sizes for a week.  You may find you have more energy!  

I use a bread plate instead of a dinner plate when eating at home.  Also try filling half of your plate with vegetables and then add a 3-4 oz. portion of meat.  Vegetable are low in calories, high in water, and contain fiber which makes them filling.  At restaurants I order fish with steamed vegetables or salad on the side instead of mashed potatoes or rice.  Also think about sharing a meal with a friend or eat half the meal and take the other half home. 

 Size Matters!

Reduce the size of your waistline by being aware of portion size.

References:

American Heart Association. (2013). Don’t fall prey to portion distortion.

     Retrieved from: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/

     WeightManagement/LosingWeight/Dont-Fall-Prey-to-Portion-

     Distortion_UCM_424567_Article.jsp

Use It or Lose It!

Unfortunately aging has a negative effect on muscle mass.  After about the age of 25 we tend to lose 3-5% of our muscle mass each decade.  This is partly due to lifestyle changes.  Young adults are starting careers and families and find they are not moving and exercising as they had in the past.  A reduction of muscle slows down metabolism which causes body fat to increase.  

But, there is good news!  It is possible to slow down the loss of muscle. Strength training can actually increase muscle at any age!  Many strength training studies have shown an increase of 3 pounds of muscle and a loss of 4 pounds of fat in adults (and older adults – over age 65) after about 12 weeks of training (Green & Bryant, 2010).

I recently gave my 73 year old dad a challenging new workout because his old workout had become routine.  Your workout should be challenging!  It is important to overload (work muscles harder than they are normally accustomed to working) your muscles no matter what your age.  If you’ve been performing the same routine day after day for months or years it’s time to mix it up.  One simple change could be doing all of the exercises in reverse order.  Also, if you’re used to performing the repetitions fast try making each repetition last 4-6 seconds while maintaining constant speed throughout each repetition. 

 BUILD MUSCLE!

 ONE pound of FAT burns approximately 2 calories per day while

ONE pound of TRAINED MUSCLE burns about 7.2 calories per day.

Cancer Prevention Tips

“At least one-third of all cancer cases are preventable. Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer” (World Health Organization, 2013). 

Tobacco use is the number one cause of cancer – cancers caused by cigarette smoking could be prevented completely (Holtz, 2008).  Poor diet, lack of exercise, and infectious disease are other controllable factors linked to cancer (Holtz, 2008).

              Prevention Tips

     Quit Smoking!

       Eat a healthy diet – high in fruits and vegetables

     Limit alcohol

      Include at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity 
     most days of the week (I say daily)

     Maintain a healthy weight

     Protect skin from the sun and avoid tanning beds

     Get immunized

     Avoid risky behaviors (safe sex, don’t share needles

     Early detection (Mayo Clinic, 2010)

Knowing we can take steps to significantly reduce our risk of many cancers empowers us to act!  Everyone knows it is very difficult to quit smoking, but the benefits of quitting are huge and more than worth the temporary discomfort.  No matter how long you have smoked you will see immediate as well as long term benefits! 

 Reference:

Holtz, C. (2008). Global health care: issues and policies. Boston, MA:

     Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Mayo Clinic. (2010). Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk.

     Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-

     prevention/CA00024/NSECTIONGROUP=2

World Health Organization. (2006). Introduction to cancer control series.

     Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/cancer/modules/Early%20

     Detection%20Module%203pdf