Why Lose Weight?
The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy a higher quality-of-life too.
5 Steps to Lose Weight & Keep It Off
Learning to balance healthy eating and physical activity can help you lose weight more easily and keep it off.
Take it from people who have successfully maintained weight loss:
- 98% have modified their eating habits.
- 94% have increased their physical activity, especially walking.
- Set realistic goals.
Know where you are today so you know how to get where you want to be. Learn your Body Mass Index (BMI). Set yourself up for success with short-term goals, like “I will make lifestyle changes which will help me lose (and keep off) 3-5% of my body weight.” Short-term goals can seem more achievable and keep you on track toward your long-term goals. - Understand how much and why you eat.
Use a food diary or tracking app to understand what, how much, and when you’re eating. Being mindful of your eating habits and aware of your roadblocks and excuses can help you get real about your goals. - Manage portion sizes.
It’s easy to overeat when you’re served too much food. Smaller portions can help prevent eating too much. Learn the difference between a portion and a serving and how to keep portions reasonable. - Make smart choices.
You don’t have to give up all your favorite foods. Learn to make smart food choices and simple substitutions instead. Discover healthy snacks and how fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help keep you fuller longer. - Be physically active.
Physical activity is anything that gets your heart rate up, like walking. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. Move more, with more intensity, and sit less.
Conquer Cravings with These Healthy Substitutions
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures:
Creamy
Instead of this: While ice cream may come to mind first, there are a variety of other smooth snacks that can be just as satisfying.
Try munching on this:
- Fresh avocado spread on whole grain bread OR ½ avocado eaten plain with a spoon
- Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and drizzle over ½ cup low-fat, no added sugar frozen yogurt.
- Puree some berries and swirl into a cup of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.
Crunchy
Instead of this: Pretzels and chips have a crunchy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium that you don’t need.
Try munching on this:
- ¾ cup whole grain cereal, no added sugar
- Crunchy unsalted nuts
- Whole grain crisp breads
- Plain popcorn; to add some flavor, experiment with various spices like cinnamon or your favorite spice or herb
Liquid
Instead of this: Sweet tea or soda may sound refreshing, but it can take a while to work off all those empty calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha coffee drink with whipped cream can be 400 calories- and that’s before adding sugar or honey.
Try sipping on this:
- Plain iced tea made with a squeeze of lemon. You can sweeten with berries or a non-caloric sweetener
- Add fruit slices to a glass and fill with club soda
- Instead of the fancy mocha drink, choose a small latte made with nonfat milk and topped with cinnamon which is about a quarter of the calories.
Squishy
Instead of this: Jelly-like candies or even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound like squishy fun in your mouth, but other options pack more nutrition.
Try munching on this:
- Fresh grapes are sweet and juicy; freeze them for a few minutes for a fun texture
- Make tapioca pudding with squishy tapioca pearls; follow the directions on the box, only use half the amount of sugar or a non-caloric sweetener and fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
- Cherry tomatoes and room-temperature string cheese are squishy, stringy fun
Crispy
Instead of this: Some folks may not like apples because they can be soft and mealy or grainy; the same can be true of over-cooked potatoes.
Try munching on this:
- Choose crisp apple varieties like: Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Fuji and Gala; avoid Cortland, Red Delicious or Rome which can be softer
- Choose red potatoes or white potatoes and don’t overcook; avoid Russet potatoes which are high in starch making them perfect for mashed potatoes – but also making them seem ‘mealy or grainy’
Ready to Be Healthy For Good?
American Heart Association