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1. Eat foods high in dietary fiber. e body was made to eat high-fiber foods. Researchers found those who gained the least weight over the 10-year study ate a lot of high- fiber foods. 4 Examples include salads, soups, fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals. 2. Choose low-glycemic meals. People who eat low-glycemic meals don’t get as hungry so soon and eat less throughout the day. 4 Examples of low-glycemic foods include legumes, soy, veggies, most fresh fruit, healthy proteins, and whole grains not finely ground (such as steel-cut oats vs. instant oats). 6 Limit refined foods, white breads, white rice, potatoes, soda pop, candy, baked goods, sugar, and sweets. 3. Eat low-calorie density foods. Research shows that people naturally eat fewer calories when they are served lower-calorie density foods (foods high in volume, water, and weight, but low in calories). 4 Examples of low-calorie density foods include apples, oranges, fresh or steamed veggies, soup, skim milk, low-fat cottage cheese, and egg replacer. 6 Limit meats, cheese, butter, cream, ice cream, margarine, soft drinks, sweets, desserts, snack foods such as chips, cookies, pastry, and fried foods. 4. Eat low-calorie foods first. Eat fresh fruit, salad, or soup at the beginning of a meal to reduce appetite. Research shows that doing this naturally results in eating fewer calories for the whole meal – without trying. 5. Don’t eat and watch TV at the same time. People quickly learn to associate eating in front of the TV with food. en whenever they watch TV they want to eat. e same principle applies to snacks at movies. 6. Eat a good breakfast daily. People who skip breakfast weigh more than those who don’t. A good breakfast doesn’t have to be a large meal. Here’s a formula for a healthy breakfast: fresh fruit (orange), whole grain (oats or whole-wheat toast), milk or soymilk, healthy fat (almonds), healthy protein (tofu or scrambled Egg Beaters). 7. Replace poor habits with positive habits: 4 Eat regular, well-balanced meals at regular times – don’t snack between meals. Skipping meals leads to overeating later. 4 Eat primarily the whole food rather than juice – eat an orange in place of orange juice. Avoid sugary drinks and limit fruit drinks. 4 Eat warm, satisfying meals before 7 p.m., brush your teeth, and eat no more till morning. 4 Learn new rewards. Rather than over-indulging on “comfort foods” when you feel upset or sad, take a walk, visit with a friend, or soak in a hot tub.. 4 When you start to feel full, stop eating. It’s OK to leave food on your plate. It’s better for food to go to waste than to your waist! 8. Eat more slowly. Give your body time to send signals to the brain (hormones produced by the gut) that you’ve eaten enough. Visit with your family. Make mealtime an enjoyable, social event, not just a time to eat as much as you can as quickly as you can. Using the Body’s Natural Weight Control Mechanisms More © 2006 Wellsource, Inc. All rights reserved. Don Hall, DrPH, CHES

15 ways to maintain a healthy weight

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Page 1: 15 ways to maintain a healthy weight

1. Eat foods high in dietary fiber. Thebodywasmadetoeathigh-fiber

foods.Researchersfoundthosewhogainedtheleastweightoverthe10-yearstudyatealotofhigh-fiberfoods.

4Examplesincludesalads,soups,freshfruit,vegetables,andwhole-grainbreadsandcereals.

2. Choose low-glycemic meals. Peoplewhoeatlow-glycemicmealsdon’tgetas

hungrysosoonandeatlessthroughouttheday.4Examplesoflow-glycemicfoodsincludelegumes,soy,

veggies,mostfreshfruit,healthyproteins,andwholegrainsnotfinelyground(suchassteel-cutoatsvs.instantoats).

6Limitrefinedfoods,whitebreads,whiterice,potatoes,sodapop,candy,bakedgoods,sugar,andsweets.

3. Eat low-calorie density foods. Researchshowsthatpeoplenaturally

eatfewercalorieswhentheyareservedlower-caloriedensityfoods(foodshighinvolume,water,andweight,butlowincalories).

4Examplesoflow-caloriedensityfoodsincludeapples,oranges,freshorsteamedveggies,soup,skimmilk,low-fatcottagecheese,andeggreplacer.

6Limitmeats,cheese,butter,cream,icecream,margarine,softdrinks,sweets,desserts,snackfoodssuchaschips,cookies,pastry,andfriedfoods.

4. Eat low-calorie foods first. Eatfreshfruit,salad,orsoupatthebeginningofa

mealtoreduceappetite.Researchshowsthatdoingthisnaturallyresultsineatingfewercaloriesforthewholemeal–withouttrying.

5. Don’t eat and watch TV at the same time. Peoplequicklylearntoassociateeatinginfrontofthe

TVwithfood.ThenwhenevertheywatchTVtheywanttoeat.Thesameprincipleappliestosnacksatmovies.

6. Eat a good breakfast daily. Peoplewhoskipbreakfastweighmorethanthose

whodon’t.Agoodbreakfastdoesn’thavetobealargemeal.Here’saformulaforahealthybreakfast:freshfruit(orange),wholegrain(oatsorwhole-wheattoast),milkorsoymilk,

healthyfat(almonds),healthyprotein(tofuorscrambledEggBeaters).

7. Replace poor habits with positive habits:4Eatregular,well-balancedmealsatregulartimes

–don’tsnackbetweenmeals.Skippingmealsleadstoovereatinglater.

4Eatprimarilythewholefoodratherthanjuice–eatanorangeinplaceoforangejuice.Avoidsugarydrinksandlimitfruitdrinks.

4Eatwarm,satisfyingmealsbefore7p.m.,brushyourteeth,andeatnomoretillmorning.

4Learnnewrewards.Ratherthanover-indulgingon“comfortfoods”whenyoufeelupsetorsad,takeawalk,visitwithafriend,orsoakinahottub..

4Whenyoustarttofeelfull,stopeating.It’sOKtoleavefoodonyourplate.It’sbetterforfoodtogotowastethantoyourwaist!

8. Eat more slowly. Giveyourbodytimetosendsignalstothebrain

(hormonesproducedbythegut)thatyou’veeatenenough.

Visitwithyourfamily.Makemealtimeanenjoyable,socialevent,notjustatimetoeatasmuchasyoucanasquicklyasyoucan.

Using the Body’s Natural Weight Control Mechanisms

More© 2006 Wellsource, Inc. All rights reserved. Don Hall, DrPH, CHES

Page 2: 15 ways to maintain a healthy weight

Ask for a doggy bag!

Sitting quietly 1 MET*Canoeing, kayaking 3+ METsDancing to music 3+ METsActive table tennis 4+ METsTennis 4-7+ METsWalking 4 mph (15 min./mile) 4.3 METsSwimming laps 4-8 METsSkating, roller, in-line, ice 5+ METsBackpacking in mountains 5-11 METsCross country skiing 6-12 METsBicycling 10+ mph 7+ METsRunning 10 min./mile 10.2 METs

9. Limit portion sizes. Foodportionsizesaregettingbiggerandsoare

people.Measureportionstogetabetterideaofstandardservingsizes:

lFruit–1smallorange,apple,peach,banana,1Cfreshfruit,½Ccooked,6oz.juice

lVegetables–1Craw,½Ccooked,6oz.juicelGrains –1smallslicebread,1small

pancake,2"muffin,½Ccookedcereal,⅔Cready-to-eatcereal,½Crice,pasta,orcookedcereal

lDairy–1Clow-fatmilkoryogurt,½Ccottagecheese,1slice(oz.)oflow-fatcheese

lHealthy Fats–1t.softtubmargarine,1T.low-fatsaladdressing,1t.oil,5olives,¼avocado

lPlant Proteins–½Ccookedbeans,1veggieburger,½Ctofu,1oz.nuts,1½T.nutbutter

lMeats–2oz.redmeats,fish,poultry4Tryusingsmallerplates–ithelpstheportionsizes

lookbigger.Becarefulofseconds.Askyourselfifyouarereallyhungryandneedmoreorifitisahabittotakemore.

10. Eat most meals at home. Themoreyoueatout,themore

weightyouarelikelytogain.Limiteatingout,especiallyat“Allyoucaneatbuffets”andatfastfoodrestaurants.Whenyoudoeatout,shareanentréeortakehalfofithomeforanothermeal.

12. Be physically active daily. Inactivityisoneoftheprimarycausesofobesity.

Regularactivity–especially60-90minutesdaily–isoneofthebestpredictorsofwhowillmaintainweightloss.Exercisehelpsmaintainweightbyburningupexcesscalories,improvingmood,andmobilizingfatstores(after30minutesofexercise).

Doweighttraining3timesaweek.Yourleanweightincreasesthenumberofcaloriesyouburnallday,evenatnightwhenyousleep.Thechartattherightshowshowexerciseincreasesmetabolismandcaloriesburned.

*MET stands for of multiples of resting metabolism. For example, walking 4 mph burns 4.3 times as many calories per minute as sitting watching TV or playing a video game.

11. Get adequate sleep daily. Peoplewhocutsleepshortaremorelikelytogain

weightthanpeoplewhogetatleast7-8hoursofsleepmostnights.Stayinguplateinvitessnackingandpeopleofteneattohelpthemstayawake.

13. Weigh yourself daily. Researchshowsthatpeoplewhoweighdailyareless

likelytogainweightoverthenext10yearscomparedtopeoplewhoseldomweigh.Writeyourweightonyourcalendar.Weighingandrecordingyourweighthelpsfocusonsmallchangesandtakingactionwhenneeded.

14. Join a formal weight-loss plan. Ifyouaretryingtoloseweight,youwillbemore

successfulifyoufollowacredibleplan,learntoeatmorehealthfully,bemoreactive,andareaccountabletosomeoneforyourbehavior.Joinasupportgroup.

4Followaneatingplanbasedoncalories,servings,orpointsperdaytomonitoryourintake.Writingdownwhatyoueatandtrackingpointshelpsyounaturallyeatless.

4Setarealisticgoalof½to1poundofweightlossperweek.

4Yourgoalisnotto“diet”buttodevelopahealthylivingapproachyoucanmaintaintherestofyourlife.

15. Maintain peace of mind and heart. Highstresslevels,worry,anddiscouragement,

oftencontributetoweightgain.Balancestresswithrelaxation,recreation,andrest.Planquiettimesdailytorenewmindandspirit–meditate,pray,baskinnature’sbeauty,andcontemplateinspirationalquotesandwritings.n

Sources: NIH. The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. NIH website. 2006.; American College of Sports Medicine. Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 7th edition. 2006.; Wellsource. Lifelong Weight Management Instructor’s Guide. 2005.

© 2006 Wellsource, Inc. All rights reserved. Don Hall, DrPH, CHES