Shirley is a Nurse Practitioner in the Cardio Wellness Center and is an expert on wellness and healthy eating. Thanks Shirley!
Have
you ever wondered why you can’t lose weight when you feel you are eating
healthy?
I think we have all been there, whether its 20lbs or 5lbs, we eat right,
exercise and the weight just doesn’t budge. This can be frustrating as
well as discouraging! Here are some tips to uncover some possible
reasons:
Get
honest with yourself by writing down every single bite that goes in your
mouth. They all count and definitely add up!
Quit
taking those extra little bites throughout the day. Stick to eating only at
meal times. Don’t mindlessly nibble, this can and will negate all your
positive weight loss efforts. This is a really bad habit if you are doing
it consistently. We will all have those days but make them rare.
Look
at the amount of food you are consuming that comes out of a box or package
(those are not the best calories to consume). These foods break down to
sugar and stimulate your appetite for more food. They also cause insulin
to be secreted which stores all of those calories as belly fat!
Eat
whole, unprocessed or minimally processed food the majority of the time. This
can be confusing because most people think whole grains and similar products
are whole foods but if they are coming out of a package then they are not so good
for you. Avoid them-especially when you are trying to lose weight. These
are foods that should be eaten in moderation and they can certainly prevent you
from losing those unwanted pounds.
Eat
at least 4-6 cups of vegetables a day. These should fill half of your
plate at least twice a day. Eat them first, enjoy the natural flavors
(sweet and salty). Let their natural fiber fill you up and decrease your
appetite.
Next
fill 1/3 of your plate with a lean meat. Chicken breast, lean ground meat, fish,
lean pork loin, turkey breast
The
other 1/3 of your plate could be more veggies, or fruit or even legumes, or
quinoa, wild rice, sweet potato, but no more than ½ cup cooked.
Don’t
overdo the fruit, 2-4 servings a day is enough.
Don’t
overdo the fat, even healthy fat should be limited to 3 servings a day.
Eat
slower, chew your food better, put your fork down in between bites, focus on
how nutritious your food is and how you are feeding your body real food that it
metabolizes better, gives you longer lasting energy and doesn’t leave you
feeling stuffed and bloated.
Eat
off of a salad plate. Don’t go for seconds…unless its more veggies.
Go
for a walk after dinner, give your body time to realize its full, content and
satisfied with the meal you just ate.
Don’t
feel guilty for eating something you know is less than healthy but make your
next meal better. Every meal counts so don’t dwell on the bad and just do
better next time.
Find
enjoyment in life other than eating.
Listen
to your body for signs of hunger. Don’t eat out of habit or because the
break schedule says it’s time to eat. If your mind is hungry feed it with
a walk or glass of tea or water with lemon, or chopped veggies, fruit.
Let your stomach growl, that’s a good sign! Don’t get to a point that you
are famished but it’s okay to be a little hungry.
Most
people feel weak or irritable after eating too many processed foods or sugar,
then feel famished. This is because of the quick fluctuations in blood glucose
levels. It’s caused by poor nutrition and unbalanced meals. I can
almost guarantee that if you eat balanced nutrition, real food, you will not
experience this!
Remember
that in order to see change, change must occur. You have to do something different
if you want results. Don’t get stuck with the same bad habits. Each day
replace one unhealthy habit with a better for you habit.
You
CAN do it…..
