By SAND Member: Brianna Higgins
Ringing in the New Year often involves resolutions for weight loss and healthy living, many of these being dropped by February. On the other hand, these tips allow for healthy lifestyle choices that will last the year and many years to come.
1. Don’t diet!! Following strict diet plans works temporarily because certain food groups are eliminated completely from the diet. As soon as you stop the diet, the weight is likely to return.
2. Try to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables for every meal. Discover new types of fruits, vegetables, and recipes that keep these foods flavorful and enjoyable. Click here for a creative cauliflower recipe:
http://elephantsandthecoconuttrees.blogspot.com/2014/10/cauliflower-breadsticks.html
3. Adults in the U.S. are encouraged to get only 10% to 35% of calories from protein daily (meats, fish, beans, nuts). For women, 46 grams of protein is needed, translating to 56 grams for men. A serving of protein should be equivalent to the size of the palm of the hand.
4. 45-65% of calories from carbs are needed daily. In addition to fuits and vegetables, opt for 100% whole-wheat options over white breads and pastas, or eat oatmeal, quinoa, or brown rice. The size of a fist is the serving size recommended for starches. Here is a delicious pizza recipe:
http://www.self.com/body/recipes/2013/09/sweet-potato-kale-pizza
5. For weight loss, more calories must be burned than the amount of food taken in. What’s important is to start out slow doing an activity that you can stick to and enjoy. Start out walking 10 minutes a day and gradually build up to 30 minutes.
6. Have a support system and other people to hold you accountable. Look up and share healthy recipes, walk, and go to the gym with friends and family. Setting a routine and having others around as motivation keeps you from talking yourself out of that morning run. Joining a fitness club or a group fitness class is also a fun way to prevent boredom with exercises and to create a community of support and friendships. There’s nothing like having a classroom of people there to encourage you, challenge you, and to keep working out fun.
7. Avoid adding extra salt to already salted items. Ketchup is loaded with extra sugar and sodium. Natural foods such as banana peppers, olives, nuts, and beans contain a lot of sodium as well. Eat these foods, but be careful about how much of them you are eating along with other salty foods.
8. Kick the soda can and drink plenty of water. Try to drink an 8-oz. glass with every meal, or about 2 liters daily. Consume alcohol in moderation. Women should only consume one “drink,” while men can consume two. A drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of spirits and liquors.
9. Get plenty of sleep, a healthy amount typically being a MINIMUM of 7.5 hours.
10. Have a playlist prepared that’s sure to keep you going during the hardest part of the workout. Look for something gritty that will pump up the adrenaline!!
11. Look for cereals and yogurt that are lower in sugar. Choose dark chocolate over milk and white chocolate and frozen yogurt over ice cream. Make muffins and cookies with oatmeal or whole-wheat flour for a healthier option, such as with this recipe:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-cookies/391acf6b-df6c-49d3-894b-4ac705dc9cb2
12. Download Apps that track food intake and exercise or consult https://www.supertracker.usda.gov, which will inform you of all the nutrients that should be included in your diet. Some of the most popular apps of the year included Diet Assistant, MyFitness Pal, Lose It!, Diet Point, and Fitness Buddy. For extra motivation, be sure to check these out.
Remember that everything is good in moderation. Base your progress on how you feel, not on the number you see on the scale. Think in the long term in being able to actually keep the weight you lose off. Stay positive and don’t give up!!
1. Don’t diet!! Following strict diet plans works temporarily because certain food groups are eliminated completely from the diet. As soon as you stop the diet, the weight is likely to return.
2. Try to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables for every meal. Discover new types of fruits, vegetables, and recipes that keep these foods flavorful and enjoyable. Click here for a creative cauliflower recipe:
http://elephantsandthecoconuttrees.blogspot.com/2014/10/cauliflower-breadsticks.html
3. Adults in the U.S. are encouraged to get only 10% to 35% of calories from protein daily (meats, fish, beans, nuts). For women, 46 grams of protein is needed, translating to 56 grams for men. A serving of protein should be equivalent to the size of the palm of the hand.
4. 45-65% of calories from carbs are needed daily. In addition to fuits and vegetables, opt for 100% whole-wheat options over white breads and pastas, or eat oatmeal, quinoa, or brown rice. The size of a fist is the serving size recommended for starches. Here is a delicious pizza recipe:
http://www.self.com/body/recipes/2013/09/sweet-potato-kale-pizza
5. For weight loss, more calories must be burned than the amount of food taken in. What’s important is to start out slow doing an activity that you can stick to and enjoy. Start out walking 10 minutes a day and gradually build up to 30 minutes.
6. Have a support system and other people to hold you accountable. Look up and share healthy recipes, walk, and go to the gym with friends and family. Setting a routine and having others around as motivation keeps you from talking yourself out of that morning run. Joining a fitness club or a group fitness class is also a fun way to prevent boredom with exercises and to create a community of support and friendships. There’s nothing like having a classroom of people there to encourage you, challenge you, and to keep working out fun.
7. Avoid adding extra salt to already salted items. Ketchup is loaded with extra sugar and sodium. Natural foods such as banana peppers, olives, nuts, and beans contain a lot of sodium as well. Eat these foods, but be careful about how much of them you are eating along with other salty foods.
8. Kick the soda can and drink plenty of water. Try to drink an 8-oz. glass with every meal, or about 2 liters daily. Consume alcohol in moderation. Women should only consume one “drink,” while men can consume two. A drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of spirits and liquors.
9. Get plenty of sleep, a healthy amount typically being a MINIMUM of 7.5 hours.
10. Have a playlist prepared that’s sure to keep you going during the hardest part of the workout. Look for something gritty that will pump up the adrenaline!!
11. Look for cereals and yogurt that are lower in sugar. Choose dark chocolate over milk and white chocolate and frozen yogurt over ice cream. Make muffins and cookies with oatmeal or whole-wheat flour for a healthier option, such as with this recipe:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-cookies/391acf6b-df6c-49d3-894b-4ac705dc9cb2
12. Download Apps that track food intake and exercise or consult https://www.supertracker.usda.gov, which will inform you of all the nutrients that should be included in your diet. Some of the most popular apps of the year included Diet Assistant, MyFitness Pal, Lose It!, Diet Point, and Fitness Buddy. For extra motivation, be sure to check these out.
Remember that everything is good in moderation. Base your progress on how you feel, not on the number you see on the scale. Think in the long term in being able to actually keep the weight you lose off. Stay positive and don’t give up!!