Weight Management Morsels

As I get older, it is more difficult to manage weight. Do you have this problem too? This can be due to inactivity, hormones, illness, slower metabolism, medications or other reasons.

For lasting weight management, whether it be losing weight or maintaining it, DON’T DIET. Diets don’t last, you can’t keep it up forever. When you stop, the weight comes back. You need to create a lifestyle you can maintain long term. Something sustainable.

Planning is key. People who plan are more successful.

Below are some morsels you can chew on and consider adding to your lifestyle to manage your weight. I have found them to work, whether losing weight or maintaining it.

These are things you probably already know. Sometimes we just need those reminders.

(Two dietary lifestyles associated with healthy weight loss and maintenance are the low-carb and Mediterranean.)

Drinks

• Don’t drink your calories. It adds up very quickly. This includes alcohol and fruit juice (way too much sugar).
• Drink lots of water, especially before meals. Keeps you well hydrated and fills you up.

Food

• Don’t starve yourself. That will tend to backfire.
• Don’t eat dessert for breakfast. Cereal, sweetened oatmeal, danishes, pancakes, waffles, sugary yogurt, bagels, excessive fruit, that’s all dessert to your body. Eat protein!
• Spread your protein out. Eat some with each meal.
• Don’t eat diet food, take diet pills or anything like that. Not healthy! They include awful ingredients. Take a look at those ingredients in this photo. This a from a diet food company. Yuck!

  

• Increase your fiber intake. 35-50 grams is what you should be getting.
• Stop focusing on what you can’t eat. Instead focus on all the tasty foods you can eat.
• Eat out less. You’ll consume less calories and eat healthier foods if you make it yourself.
• Just because you are eating healthy food doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. You still need to keep within your calorie goal if you are trying to manage weight.
• Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods.
• Bulk up on the healthy food first, then eat the calorie dense food, you may end up eating less of it.
• Don’t keep junk food in the house, but keep healthy food in reach.
• Use more spices. Try new spices.
• Eat healthy fats instead of margarine, mayo, vegetable oil, etc. Healthy fats include avocado, coconut, healthy oils, grass fed butter, ghee, nuts, omega 3 fish, etc.
• Avoid “low fat” products. The fat is normally replaced with other unhealthy ingredients.
• Avoid fried foods, bad on so many levels.
• Cut back on sugar intake! Women should only have roughly 24 grams of added sugar a day. Men 36 grams.
• Avoid simple carbs (think white stuff), go for complex carbs.
• Remember carbs turn into sugar.
• Don’t ignore your food sensitivities. Not only are they keeping you from achieving optimal health, but they may be causing you to hold on to weight as well.
• Before you remove a food it may help to find a replacement.
• Brush your teeth. It will make you less likely to eat more, because the flavor will be out of your mouth and it will feel fresh.

 

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Eating Out

• If you’re eating out, check the restaurant’s website for their menu and nutrition information. Make a wise choice before you even get there.
• Don’t be afraid to ask restaurants to tailor your meal. (leave ingredients out, put them on the side, make substitutions, etc.) Many will gladly adjust.

Sleep

• Sleep affects your ability to lose weight and may cause you to gain it.
• Get at least 7 hours sleep. Quality sleep or lack of it, is linked to weight loss / gain and influences your hunger hormones.

Social

• Get support. People with a support system are more successful.
• Bring a healthy dish to a party or gathering.
• Don’t go hungry to a party.

Emotional / Psychological

• If you’re feeling depressed, don’t use food as comfort. Use exercise, it boosts your mood as well.
• Reduce stress. Stress increases cortisol. When it is too high it is unhealthy and can store belly fat. It also interferes with sleep.
• Be realistic with your expectations.
• When you’re having a craving, wait 15 minutes before indulging, the craving may pass.
• Use the 3 bite rule for treats when you’re indulging. 3 bites is normally enough to satisfy a craving.
• People who weigh less have to work harder to lose weight. Don’t get frustrated and don’t give up.
• The battle for weight is won or lost in the mind.

 

Technology/Tools

• People are notoriously poor at estimating how many calories they’ve eaten.
• People who track their calories lose more weight than those who don’t.
• Use the aide of food tracking apps such as My Fitness Pal or Lose It! to input your information and find out how many calories you need to eat the lose weight in a healthy way. It will track your calories, protein, fiber, sugar and fat intake. This way you will know where adjustments need to be made.
• Watch portion sizes. They are unrealistically small. Use the aide of a food scale until you know what portion sizes look like. Most of us overeat because we don’t know what a portion size or one serving is.
• Weigh yourself as often as you need to.

 

Physical

• Move, move, move. Even fidgeting burns more calories than sitting still.
• Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. But everyday is better.
• Build muscle.. Muscles burns more calories and fat.

 

 

Have you been successful managing your weight as you get older?

What tips can you share with others?