Favorite Tips for Weight Loss

1) ADD MORE FOOD!

Say what?! Have you ever been told to increase your food intake to lose weight?! Well, of course there is a catch. . . Adding any and all foods will definitely cause weight gain, but increasing the volume of fiber containing foods in your diet will bulk up your meals and help keep you full. Yes, by fiber containing foods I mean eat more vegetables! Did you know that three cups of non-starchy veggies (think peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, greens, etc.) is <100 calories? That means you could eat 10 cups of vegetables daily for around 300 calories. Would you feel more full if you had four cups of food at a meal to eat rather than only one cup? The skin of fruits and vegetables contain the “bulk” of the fiber, so keep the skin on things like apples and eggplant when you eat them.  

2) Feel Satisfied, Not Stuffed.

Pay attention to when you are hungry and when you are full. In our society, we move on quick schedules and often, meals are an after-thought. So, we become accustomed to eating when convenient, and eating until the food is gone, with no regards to how we feel along the way. Tune into your body to recognize gentle hunger and when you’re filling up. As simple as this sounds, it takes a lot of practice and mindfulness. If you don’t eat until you’re starving, you’re setting yourself up to overeat. If you eat when you’re not hungry, you are likely overfeeding your body regularly. For more information about the hunger and fullness scale, see the table to the right and check out the Intuitive Eating blog!

3) Eat Favorite Foods Weekly.

Yes, you can absolutely have ice cream or pizza in moderation and sill LOSE weight! Eating desserts does fit into your diet however, managing the portion size is imperative to success. A good way to include energy dense foods into your daily routine is to add them as part of your meal. Are you really craving some chocolate? Put it on your plate as part of dinner! You know, alongside the three cups of veggies you have on your plate. . . Having favorite foods with dinner usually decreases cravings later in the evening.

4) Plan Ahead.

Balance and moderation are key to successful weight loss. But how can you be balanced if you’re making all of your food decisions last minute when you are already hungry? Yes, planning means you have to get more organized and change your routines. However, most people find that this saves them an enormous amount of time during the week, because they aren’t making any food decisions. Most of their food is there and ready to eat. Use MyPlate as a guide for how to balance your meals. Increase the colors on your plate to add more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eating less balanced meals puts you at risk for feeling more hungry, low nutrient intake, and a more difficult weight loss journey.

5) Track your Food.

Tracking tools are fantastic for nutrition accountability. It’s amazing how quickly goals can be achieved with something as simple as writing down your food intake. Subconsciously, we become more aware of what foods we’re eating and start making slight changes to our food decisions. With some tools, you have the ability to add your friends that are also using the tool to help keep each other on track. There are also venues that allow you to communicate directly with your dietitian for feedback. Great online/apps include, but are not limited to, MyFitness Pal, SuperTracker, and SparkPeople. For more individualized guidance, consult your dietitian.

Finally, recognize that weight loss takes time. That extra 10, 20, or 50lbs likely didn’t come on overnight, and it won’t come off overnight either (unfortunately). If we dietitians had the magic pill that would melt it off and keep it off, we would give it to you. However, the reality is that it takes hard work to change these lifestyle routines to see permanent change. Start with these five tips, and reach out if you get stuck or need guidance!