In Chinese astrology, 2014 is the year of the horse, which symbolizes the unremitting effort to improve oneself. How appropriate a theme with which to address your health and lifestyle! Sometimes though, changing habits is challenging. You may not know where to start and feel overwhelmed. In an effort to get quick results, you may find yourself willing to make a drastic change, which, however, in the end leads you back to where you started, and sometimes puts you even further behind. How to avoid this pitfall? Let’s turn that desperate desire into constructive motivation. To get started, I have some Eating Do’s and Don’ts that will set you in the right direction, sensibly.
Dos:
1. Minimize to the greatest extent possible any simple sugar source, including hidden sources. Yes, I’m talking flavored drinks (coffee, juices, iced tea) and yogurt, smoothies, large fruit stand bags (this isn’t to say fruit is ‘bad’, but the large portion is a problem), cereals, granola or ‘nutrition’ bars. Get back to the basics, go for the way foods were meant to taste; use whole foods to flavor, like berries in plain yogurt or fresh salsa on a small baked potato. Fruits are a great source of fiber, fluids and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), but can be high in sugar if over consumed. To keep diet balanced, choose 2-3 computer mouse size servings per day.
2. Choose more whole grains (quinoa, barley, millet, bulgur and oats) and legumes (that’s beans and lentils) in place of processed wheat flour products. Still watch your portions, more of something good isn’t always better! ¼ of your plate is the space for your grains and starches (the other ¼ of your plate is for your lean protein).
3. Make ½ your plate vegetables at lunch and dinner; take it to another step, use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate for ‘built in’ portion control. ‘What about breakfast?’ you ask, see no. 1 below.
4. Include ¼ cup nuts to your diet daily for its beneficial plant fats and its impact on heart health, not to mention the wonderful flavor!
5. Focus on average vs. extremes in eating behavior: we tend to overestimate the impact of a bad day and underestimate the importance of our typical behavior. A single bad day isn’t going to make you overweight any more than a single very active weekend is going to keep you slim. What matters is the big picture; what you do most of the time has the greatest impact on your weight management. Focus on making your typical way of eating a little healthier.
1. Minimize to the greatest extent possible any simple sugar source, including hidden sources. Yes, I’m talking flavored drinks (coffee, juices, iced tea) and yogurt, smoothies, large fruit stand bags (this isn’t to say fruit is ‘bad’, but the large portion is a problem), cereals, granola or ‘nutrition’ bars. Get back to the basics, go for the way foods were meant to taste; use whole foods to flavor, like berries in plain yogurt or fresh salsa on a small baked potato. Fruits are a great source of fiber, fluids and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), but can be high in sugar if over consumed. To keep diet balanced, choose 2-3 computer mouse size servings per day.
2. Choose more whole grains (quinoa, barley, millet, bulgur and oats) and legumes (that’s beans and lentils) in place of processed wheat flour products. Still watch your portions, more of something good isn’t always better! ¼ of your plate is the space for your grains and starches (the other ¼ of your plate is for your lean protein).
3. Make ½ your plate vegetables at lunch and dinner; take it to another step, use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate for ‘built in’ portion control. ‘What about breakfast?’ you ask, see no. 1 below.
4. Include ¼ cup nuts to your diet daily for its beneficial plant fats and its impact on heart health, not to mention the wonderful flavor!
5. Focus on average vs. extremes in eating behavior: we tend to overestimate the impact of a bad day and underestimate the importance of our typical behavior. A single bad day isn’t going to make you overweight any more than a single very active weekend is going to keep you slim. What matters is the big picture; what you do most of the time has the greatest impact on your weight management. Focus on making your typical way of eating a little healthier.
Don’t:
1. …skip breakfast or any other meal. Kick-start your metabolism in the morning with a fruit and ¼ cup nuts if you’re not a ‘breakfast’ person, or a cup of oatmeal (old-fashioned style) with 1T unsweetened dry fruit and 1T ground flaxseeds (or chia seeds). Skipping meals is a sure fire way to slow your metabolism and overindulge when you do eat - it’s a double whammy!
2. …eliminate a whole food group…i.e. Atkin’s, Paleo. Besides missing out on all the important nutrients of a particular food group, it sets a precedent of restriction and deprivation to have such strict rules about what to eat. It’s just not necessary. One can manage weight and eat healthy consuming a variety foods.
3. …eat out often, that is, more than a couple times per week. Remember, restaurants do not cook with your health in mind, in fact, fast foods, packaged foods and restaurant chains work hard at creating the addictive ‘bliss’ factor of the flavor combinations from sugar, fat, and salt. Plan ahead and cook meals from home more often.
4. …believe what you see on the front of a food package. Always read labels and look at the ingredient list. Red flag words – ‘high-fructose corn syrup’ and ‘hydrogenated oils.’
5. …follow the latest fad. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. The key to making a long term positive change is to choose a plan that is a good fit for your lifestyle, eating pattern, personality and biochemistry.
1. …skip breakfast or any other meal. Kick-start your metabolism in the morning with a fruit and ¼ cup nuts if you’re not a ‘breakfast’ person, or a cup of oatmeal (old-fashioned style) with 1T unsweetened dry fruit and 1T ground flaxseeds (or chia seeds). Skipping meals is a sure fire way to slow your metabolism and overindulge when you do eat - it’s a double whammy!
2. …eliminate a whole food group…i.e. Atkin’s, Paleo. Besides missing out on all the important nutrients of a particular food group, it sets a precedent of restriction and deprivation to have such strict rules about what to eat. It’s just not necessary. One can manage weight and eat healthy consuming a variety foods.
3. …eat out often, that is, more than a couple times per week. Remember, restaurants do not cook with your health in mind, in fact, fast foods, packaged foods and restaurant chains work hard at creating the addictive ‘bliss’ factor of the flavor combinations from sugar, fat, and salt. Plan ahead and cook meals from home more often.
4. …believe what you see on the front of a food package. Always read labels and look at the ingredient list. Red flag words – ‘high-fructose corn syrup’ and ‘hydrogenated oils.’
5. …follow the latest fad. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. The key to making a long term positive change is to choose a plan that is a good fit for your lifestyle, eating pattern, personality and biochemistry.
Whether you choose lower carb, Mediterranean or low-fat, remember we don’t all respond the same way to the same diet. Your lifestyle, medical history and preferences are all factors to consider. There are a variety of ways to eat healthier, the trick is to figure out which way is best for you. Don’t forget the other side, the yang, of improving your lifestyle, regular activity. It will complement all your efforts.
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