Let’s talk about that dreaded topic, food! Diet is hard for people to change because it is not just about nutritional intake, but habit, comfort, emotion, and socializing. The most success will come from small changes, because they are more likely to stick around long term. Pick a bad eating habit, whatever it is, and set a goal for this week to reduce the problem, not eliminate it. If it is ice cream at night, serve yourself in a smaller bowl and add strawberries instead of chocolate sauce. Studies have proven that the first two bites are the best, taste and emotion wise. After that it is not a satisfying. Try to remember that when you serve yourself anything (but veggies!). Other tricks to ease caloric intake (besides using smaller plates) are:
- Plate everything you plan on eating and put the rest away. The only serve yourself food on the table should be salad and veggies. Never eat at the TV. Eating is completely mindless and we eat way more than we are hungry for.
- If you must have snacks, keep them at the table where you have to walk away from the TV to go get it. Trust me, this will cut your eating way back!
- It has been proven that he more people we eat with, the more we tend to take in. So when in a group, be the last to start eating and pace your self with the speed of the slowest eater.
- Cut back slightly on other meat and potatoes and fill the empty space with extra veggies. You will feel just as full.
- Make “snacky, bad choice” foods less visible. If you have to walk by and “see” those cookies on the table every time you walk past the table, it is virtually impossible to say ”no!” every time you walk by. Just covering them with tin foil helps, but putting tin foil on and putting them on top of the fridge is even better.
- Make better choice foods readily available. Put out a tray of carrots or keep a bowl of apples on the table to grab for a quick snack.
- No convenience foods in the house! If it takes some effort other than “open and eat out of the bag or “microwave for 60 seconds”, you won’t go to the effort of making it unless you are really hungry, rather than not full.
- Cold beverages actually take about 1 calorie per ounce more energy to warm it to body temperature. If does not sound like much, but if you drink all of you 8, 8oz. servings of water iced throughout the day, that is an extra 70 calories burned per day. That adds up over time.
- Use the 10-20 rule for calorie counting drinks. Estimate 10 cals an ounce for thin drinks( milk, soda, juice) and 20 for thick drinks(milkshakes, meal replacement shakes, smoothies) It is easy to over look the calories we drink. This will help you estimate more accurately.
Just because your family does not like a certain (nutritionally sound) food does not mean you should not enjoy it! Vegetables are absolutely vital to healthy eating. Indulge and feel good about it! Also, if you are the primary shopper, it is up to you how well or poorly you all eat. You may hear complaining if their favorite fatty food is not in the house, but it is unlikely that it is important enough for anyone to get up, get in the car and go buy it. Be smart and don’t sabotage your goals by bringing that in “just for them”. Be strong about this! You can use me as the scapegoat. That way they curse my name and not yours!
To your health,
Lisa
