More diets are started in January than any other month. More diets are abandoned before February than any other time during the year. We start off with the best of intentions — to lose some weight — but along the way, we fall off the wagon. What can we do about it?
Pick what works for you
Every year seems to have its “diet of the year.” These fad diets come and go as a few get some benefits, but most people fall off the wagon. Figure out what will work best for you.
Start with a food log that includes times eaten, portions and activity levels. In order to lose weight, activity must go up while calories go down. Evaluate your food log to make small changes.
Feel full and nourished
Ideally, increase nutrients derived from the foods eaten. Make vegetables the heart of the meal and snacks. Cover two-thirds of the plate with veggies, then go lightly on starches and meats. Want to really help yourself? Eliminate the potatoes and rice. Go for carrots and other root veggies instead.
Include healthy fats in every meal. Fats make us feel full and satisfied. Good fats, like the ones found in walnuts, almonds, wild-caught salmon and avocados, are essential to the human body. Find sources of omega-3 for every meal.
Tips for staying the course
Pre-plan meals and snacks. When hungry, we tend to grab what is convenient and familiar. Pre-planning makes it easy to grab what is good for us instead of reverting to old habits.
Stay hydrated. Thirst can be misinterpreted as hunger. Try water first before eating. More water might be needed than you think. Divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water each day. For example, a 150-pound person would need 75 ounces of water, or almost 10 glasses containing eight ounces.
Use a smaller plate. We tend to eat what we put on our plate. Simply decrease the plate size to achieve psychological satisfaction.
The best time to weigh each day is upon awakening, before consuming any food or water. This reading will give the most consistent results for trending.
Gradual weight loss tends to work better than a radical, quick weight loss. Set realistic goals and stay the course. Note that on some days, the weight may go back up unexpectedly. This might be a clue to avoid or minimize a specific food.
Jennifer Closshey is a doctor of integrative health and a Plant City YMCA yoga instructor. JenniferClosshey@gmail.com.