A guest post from Jen Olsson Muczynski (@JenOMuczynski) registered and licensed dietitian
Get a flat tummy in 7 days, Top ten tricks to instant weight loss, Beach body ready, The secret to flat abs, A tight butt in 2 weeks, Foods that burn fat, Lose ten pounds in ten days…….
Sound familiar? These headlines were ripped right out of real magazine covers we see every day. Let’s be real, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is!
The reality is that many people are struggling to lose weight. There is no easy fix or quick way to safely drop those pounds. There are no magical foods that burn calories. In order to lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. That means you will need to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. Don’t get discouraged! With a little time spent evaluating and planning, you can get on the right track to losing a few pounds. There are an enormous number of short and long term health benefits to losing just 5-10% of your weight. They include improved blood glucose, sleep, mobility and energy.
Whet
her you are trying to lose a substantial amount of weight or just trim up a before pulling out those shorts from last summer, here are a few tips to get you to your goal:
Start with a Book: The internet is exploding with all sorts of nutrition focused articles, recipes, diet trends and quick tips for weight loss. It can be quite daunting to know what and who to trust online. Try ignoring the online hype for a bit in favor of a book written by a nutrition expert. I really like the Total Body Diet for Dummies. It is a comprehensive and supportive guide to improving your health. Find it here:
Audit yourself: Sit down and imagine your usual week. Write down the scenarios that cause you to overeat. Think of how you can avoid those situations and carry through with your solutions. For example, if you find yourself grabbing fast food for lunch on busy days, keep a stash of nutritious shelf stable food items in your office. Some examples would be oatmeal, cold cereal with milk boxes, nut/trail mix and/or fresh fruit
Set goals: Use the SMART model. S=specific
M=measurable, A=attainable, R=realistic, T=timely.
It is easy for us to have a general goal like “I will exercise more”. A SMART goal would be “I will walk at least 20 minutes, 4 days a week for the first week”. When you meet your smart goal, reward yourself with a nonfood treat like a manicure, a new item of clothing, a session of “me” time. After you have met your goal, add onto it.
Self-monitor: Start recording your food intake and physical activity. You can use an old journal or try an App designed to record the foods you eat. We are a society that loves to multi-task which usually means we consume our meals while doing something else. Try to make time in your day to focus on what, when and where you are eating.
Lighten Up Your Recipes: Losing weight doesn’t have to mean abandoning your favorite recipes. Try skipping the cheese in a risotto, swapping cauliflower bites for rice in a Mexcan bowl or bulking up a mac & cheese recipe with sweet potatoes. Meez Meals makes it easy, with “Lighten Up” tips for preparing every recipe under 500 calories. You can also use some smart strategies to lighten up your own recipes.
Up the Fruits & Veggies: Adding an extra fresh fruit and/or veggie is an easy way to get closer to your recommended 25-38g of fiber per day. Look for recipes which use vegetables as the star of the show and carbs and proteins as the side players. Meez makes it easy with plenty of vegetables in every dish. And remember, fiber helps control appetite and has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Identify triggers: Take a few minutes and think about the past week and what and when you ate. Write down all the situations that might pose a challenge to your weight loss efforts. Now figure out a way to overcome the challenges. For example, If you are tempted to snack in the evenings while watching tv, limit yourself to only watching 30 minutes per night or find something else to do while watching a show. If you head to a drive thru every morning for coffee and breakfast, try making coffee at home so you aren’t tempted by fast food.
Get support: Registered dietitians have a strong clinical and counseling background and can help individuals make positive lifestyle changes You can search for a registered dietitian in your area right here: http://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert. You can find your own personal health coach online using this link: https://www.rise.us/
Dietitians can help you determine how many calories you need each day and help you formulate a meal plan.
Don’t drink your calories: Soda and alcoholic drinks contribute unnecessary “empty” calories. Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions, causing you to eat more of the foods you otherwise might not eat. Unless you have been advised by your doctor to stay away from alcohol, you do not have to avoid it completely. You can plan for the fact that you will be consuming extra calories and try to fit in some additional calorie burning activities that same day.
Get Moving: Physical activity is one of the most important factors for improving your health. Not only does exercise help control weight gain but it can also reduce your risk of disease, strengthen bones and improve your mental health. Try something new to get motivated. How about a free dance class? Mention Meez Meals to http://www.allaboutdance.org/
And receive one free adult dance class. If dancing isn’t your thing, experiment with different fitness programs until you find one that works for you. It is important to find a form of exercise that you enjoy doing and can stick with for a while until it becomes a part of your regular routine.
Rate your hunger: Our body does an excellent job signaling us to when it needs food. You may be out of practice when it comes to paying attention to them. A hunger scale can help you tell the difference between physical hunger and psychological hunger. You can try using a scale from 1-10 to rate your hunger level. For example, if you rate yourself a 1 you will be feeling physical symptoms of hunger like growling or rumbling in your stomach, headache, lack of concentration and maybe even nausea. In contrast, a 10 would have you feeling so full you don’t want to move. Try to eat when you feel your hunger level at a 3 or 4 and stop when you reach 5 or 6.
Losing weight can be quite challenging, There are many factors that go into dropping those pounds. Stay positive and remember the short and long term benefits of proper nutrition and exercise. The best way to lose weight is safe and slow. Try not to get caught up with the numbers on the scale. Focus your attention on improving your overall health by making small positive changes you can live with your entire life.
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The Voting Results Are In
While the Presidential election may be far from decided, one thing is not open for debate – Meez’s salmon has won in a landslide. You have rated our salmon recipes an incredible 4.4 out of 5 stars. Our customers and bloggers like Chicago Food Lord (whom took the beautiful picture of the Crisp Salmon with Olive Tapenade above) love the tender, flavorful, responsibly fished, premium salmon fillets that we combine with our chef-curated recipes for lots of Meez magic. This week we have the aforementioned Crisp Salmon with Olive Tapenade, along with other great recipes like Chili-Glazed Tofu Tacos, Cilantro-Lime Rice with Avocado and Toasted Chickpeas, Thai Sirloin Steak Udon Bowl and our brand new Smoky Tomato Salsa Chicken. Premium fish, chicken and steak. Tons of veggies. Green certified. Simple meals in a flash. That’s the magic of Meez.
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