Caitlin Leff
I can let you in on the secret to weight management. Are you ready for it?
It’s moderation.
I know you were expecting something a bit more exciting. In fact you are probably sick of hearing that phrase. So what does moderation actually mean in terms of your everyday diet?
Moderation is just about being smart. The hard part is breaking old habits and getting into the new habit of making those smart choices. If you are used to eating a king sized candy bar everyday after work, then yes it can feel difficult to break the habit. But difficult does not mean impossible.
Moderation, and not major restriction is the key to making changes in your diet. Telling yourself you will never eat sweets again, or swearing off carbs is not going to work for the rest of your life. You are trying to make lasting changes, and not temporary fixes.
There are several ways to work towards breaking food habits.
1. Pay attention and don’t mindlessly eat. Sitting in front of a computer at work and popping Hershey kisses into your mouth all day (or chips if salt is your weakness) is not a good plan. The treats may seem small in individual portions, but eating 25 a day will add up. We have a problem with this, eating in front of the TV, computer, in the car and we barely pay attention to what we are doing. Connecting your head with your stomach is key to watching your portions, as well as actually enjoying your food. Move the bowl of candy away from where you are sitting. Chances are you won’t even really want the treat if you actually have to get up and walk to get it.
2. If you start craving something in particular, have a conversation with your stomach. Are you feeling hungry, is it a meal time? Not-so-healthy food often starts sounding really good when you are starving. This is why grocery shopping on an empty stomach is never a good idea. Have your meal first, or a healthy snack, and then see if you still are craving the candy bar/ice cream/bag of chips.
3. If you’ve been paying attention to your stomach, you have eaten a healthy lunch/dinner, and you just can’t stop thinking about something sweet, then have it. Telling yourself you can never, ever have something will just make you crave it even more. That’s why most successful health plans offer “cheat” days. Just don’t make a large bowl of ice cream an everyday habit. If you have a sweet tooth but want to try lower sugar options, here are some of the things you can try:
- Your local health food store will carry Fage 0% Greek Yogurt (or some similar greek style yogurt), which is fat free, provides 13 grams of protein, and only 80 calories in one of its small containers (5.3 oz.) It’s deliciously creamy, and mixing in a few drops of vanilla extract while topping with your favorite fruit (peaches, strawberries, blueberries) makes an excellent healthy option for dessert.
- “No Pudge Brownies” are a great choice for chocolate lovers. They have no fat, they are low in calories, and they actually taste gooey like a full fat brownie. You add yogurt or applesauce to the mix, and the directions even offer single serving size recipes for those of us who may not be so disciplined with the portion control aspect of eating. Click here for the No Pudge website.
- Sometimes you want something besides tap water with a meal, but an easy way to add a bunch of sugar and calories to a meal is to drink soda or sweetened juice. Drinking sparkling water (not artifically flavored, and low sodium) dresses up the flavor of water a little bit without adding a bunch of calories and sugar. (Click here for calorie content in common beverages)
Moderation may seem like a boring answer to the weight loss mystery, but it works. Most of the (legitimate) diet plans available today are designed to teach you to naturally make smart choices. We are creatures of habit, sometimes we just need a little retraining.
Feel free to contact me with any questions: caitlin@clubtwentyfour.com