The weight loss market is overflowing with diet aids that all claim to help you lose weight quickly. Shakes, snacks and pills marketed as appetite suppressants and weight loss programs litter the shelves of most stores today. Unfortunately, the desire to lose weight often causes people to forget that weight loss is most beneficial to the body when it is done in a safe and healthy manner. Weight loss is also more sustainable when it's achieved with lifestyle changes over a long period of time.
Track your meals in a food journal. When starting a new diet or eating pattern, it can be helpful to journal your current eating and lifestyle habits so you're aware of what changes you need to make. Note what foods, beverages and the timing of your meals.
Purchase a journal or download a journaling app on your smart phone. Track as many days as you can. Ideally, track a few weekdays and a few weekend days. Many people slightly different on weekends compared to a more structured work day.
Go beyond just jotting down the foods you eat. Make notes about how often you eat out and any patterns you see arising. For example, on a day you work late, are you more likely to stop at a fast food restaurant instead of making dinner at home?
Also note where you think you can improve or make better choices. For example, are you choosing the healthiest options possible for your meals or snacks? Do you eat a lot of frozen, processed foods or are you eating mostly home cooked meals?
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Measure your portion sizes. Overeating and indulging in larger portion sizes (even of healthy foods) can lead to excess calorie intake and weight gain. Track you portion sizes of some of your meals and snacks to get an idea if you should decrease or maintain your serving sizes.
Decreasing portion sizes can be a simple way to cut a few calories from your day and aid in moderate weight loss.
Compare your portion sizes throughout the day to the recommended standards. For example, 1 serving of fruit is 1/2 cup or 1 small whole fruit, 1 serving of vegetables is 1 cup, 1 serving of grains is 1 oz or 1/2 of a cup, 1 serving of lean protein is 3 oz and 1 serving of low-fat dairy is 1 cup (milk and yogurt) or 2 oz of cheese.
Portion sizes might be an another item that you can add to your food journal.
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Count calories. Monitoring your total calories each day can also give you another perspective of your diet. Knowing how many calories you generally eat on an average day can give you clues to what you can cut out of your diet to help induce weight loss.
Safe weight loss, or losing 1-2 pounds per week, requires you to cut out or burn off about 500-1000 calories daily.
Cutting out more than 500 calories daily or eating less than 1200 calories daily is not safe or healthy and may not result in weight loss long-term.
Although weight loss and healthy eating go beyond calories, it's important to be calorie aware - knowing whether or not you're eating enough calories for your body and lifestyle.
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Journal about cravings or emotions that trigger you to eat. About 75% of the time people overeat, it's in response to emotions. It's important to be aware of what emotions trigger you to eat and how they specifically affect your eating or lifestyle behaviors.
Take notes about your food/mood connection. For example, you may notice on days you feel more stressed, you're more likely to reach for a salty, high fat snack.
Also consider the times of day or night when you have the hardest time avoiding junk food or mindless snacking. Is it late at night while you sit and watch TV? Do you crave the need for something when you are driving? Knowing what your weak points are will help you plan for ways to alter your eating habits.
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Choose a well-balanced diet plan. There are some commercial diets that are appropriate for safe and healthy weight loss. These might be beneficial as many programs offer a very detailed plan, recipes and support.
Choose a diet plan that does not focus on eliminating large groups of foods or entire food groups.
Look for programs that focus on monitoring portion sizes, eating a balanced diet and incorporating regular physical activity.
Examples of programs that offer safe weight loss include: a diet based on a Mediterranean style of eating, the DASH diet (great for high blood pressure), a higher protein, moderate carbohydrate diet or a diet that focuses on balanced meals and portion sizes.
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Meet with your doctor or Registered Dietitian. Speaking to a doctor or registered dietitian prior to starting any new diet regimen is a smart idea. They may be able to provide you with additional guidance or recommend alternatives that might be more appropriate for your health.
Speak with your primary care doctor. They may know or can refer you to a local dietitian for additional help.
A registered dietitian is a nutrition expert that may give you a more effective diet for weight loss. They may be able to come up with a meal plan tailored to your lifestyle that will help induce weight loss. It's also nice to visit them regularly to have some accountability through the weight loss process.
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