Is Your New Year's Resolution to Lose Weight?

 



It is December 29 and every other television commercial is about a weight loss program.  Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey have been featured for Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig.  What woman wouldn't want to look like either of them?

While there are many diet programs out there, the real secret to losing weight and keeping it off is to eat real food.  What I mean by this is to eliminate as many processed, packaged foods as you can.  And if you choose to include the convenience of processed, packaged foods in your diet, read the labels and choose the products with the shortest list and with ingredients you recognize as food.

Eating this way takes some planning and preparation, but so does following Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, or Weight Watchers.  The difference is that you get to eat a wide variety of foods that are fresh, delicious, and high in nutrients to maximize your energy and health.

I believe that your body and metabolism works more efficiently when the majority of foods you eat are close to their natural form.  Whole foods in their natural form include beef, poultry, fish, lamb, pork, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs.  There is no going hungry with these guidelines. 

Best practice for weight loss is to include vegetables and fruit at every meal and snack, and to include whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, polenta, barley, oatmeal, couscous, etc.  The fiber naturally present in these foods will fill you up and tune up your digestive system.  Healthy fats are also important for healthy cells!  Include avocado, nuts,nut butters, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines) in your diet frequently.

I've included a few ideas to get you started.

Breakfast - Oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts; scrambled eggs with toast and an orange; toast with peanut butter and an apple.

Lunch - Quinoa salad with chicken breast, kalamata olives, and basil; black bean and sweet potato chili with corn bread; Pita stuffed with chicken caesar salad.

Dinner - Grilled salmon with brown rice and broccoli; marinated flank steak with sweet potato fries and salad; veggie pesto pizza with salad.

Snacks - Fresh fruit and nuts; veggies and black bean hummus; home-made trail mix; yogurt with almonds and raisins.

Treats - Dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa is best), real ice cream - a little goes a long way!


Plan your meals and snacks on the weekend and make dishes that store well ahead of time (chili, whole grain salads, hummus, trail mix, etc.) 

Try not to let yourself go too long without eating, and by all means don't deprive yourself of the foods you love.  Both may lead to overeating and feelings of defeat when trying to make healthy changes to your diet.

My advice - turn off the diet commercials and instead focus your efforts on learning to cook and eat real foods.

Happy New Year!!