"Take It Easy..."

Well, we’re almost one week into the new year and how many of us already feel inadequate because we haven’t LEAPED into our new fitness/weight loss/healthy living/workout/anything program??? Maybe you were out of town, maybe you caught a cold, maybe you were too busy at work, but that doesn’t mean you’ve blown your chances for the year.

The emails, online stories, magazine articles, and TV shows try to give you a step-by-step map for making and keeping your resolutions, but when it comes to weight loss and exercise motivation, the same technique doesn’t work for everyone. Unfortunately, the misconception that losing weight is strictly a matter of willpower is making us all feel guilty!

Relying solely on willpower is the quickest road to ruin, says addiction-behavior researcher John C. Norcross, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. In fact, those who try to completely avoid the forbidden food are actually three times more likely to chuck the entire diet once they give in. Rather than committing to an all or nothing mentality, start slowly by making substitutions. Write a general overview of what you typically eat, and try to replace as much of the processed or packaged foods with ‘real” foods. Look for similar tastes and flavors, like trading a reduced-fat blueberry muffin for oatmeal topped with 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries.

The recurring factors in the weight loss/management programs that work are adequate calories supplied by a heavy load of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, a modest amount of lean protein, nonfat dairy, healthy fats, and an occasional treat. Plants are the foundation, and the menu is always built around minimally processed meals made from scratch. If you can, try to avoid the 'restrictive mentality' when it comes to weight maintenance and dieting, For most of us, it’s vital to eat foods that are satisfying and nutritious to get long term results. Calories aside, high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats all play a role in keeping your weight in control. One way to be more successful in a weight loss quest is to stop being so hard on yourself.

Since some of the diet plans are overwhelming and require a complete overhaul of your pantry, try starting small with something called Phase Eating. Heather Bauer, R.D., C.D.N., suggests eating the same meal for breakfast and/or lunch daily for a set period of time. Decide on a healthy breakfast you enjoy, a few different healthy snacks, and a lunch that fits your lifestyle. Then, eat the same foods for a few weeks, changing your dinner choices (since you most likely will have more time to prepare that meal). After you resolve to eat the same meal for breakfast or lunch, pick what you’ll eat and plan how you’ll incorporate it into your routine. Choose a healthy protein like Greek yogurt, egg whites, or nut butter. Add a starch such as oatmeal, baked potato, or brown rice, and vary the meal with a fruit of your choice. Add raw veggies like baby carrots or celery and a healthy fat for a hearty lunch. Try to keep each meal item together in your refrigerator to cut down on meal prep time. Although I hadn’t heard it called “phase eating’’, this method has worked for me over the years. My kitchen is never without turkey breast, apples, whole-grain English muffins, nut butter and Vita Muffins.

Small changes help you get started. Don’t let the fitness /diet overload get to you. If you’re happy with your weight and fitness level, resolve to be just as fit by the end of the year. If you’re looking to make a change, make “change” your resolution!