One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years is that weight management for most people is an ongoing challenge. We don’t struggle to reach our goal weight then simply “coast” for the rest of life. Far from it. At the same time I can tell you that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is easier with some solid knowledge about food and nutrition, self-awareness, motivation, and successful strategies.

Eat a whole orange for more dietary fiber and nutrients instead of drinking orange juice.

I can put on weight faster than just about anyone else I’ve ever met. My gender, height, and age are not working in my favor. I’m a woman, which typically means having a slower metabolism than a man of the same height, age, and weight. I’m short and that translates to a slower metabolism than someone taller. I’m getting older and so I am affected by the inevitable metabolic slowdown that begins around the age of 40.

However, the one thing I do have control over is exercise. Sometimes I get the exercise I need and sometimes I don’t.

How about you? How do you fare with metabolism? Do you understand how it works, what your metabolic needs might be, and how to keep your metabolism running smoothly? If not, I would encourage you to read a series I wrote on what we currently know about metabolism.

It must be my metabolism: Part One

My basal metabolic needs hover around 1200 calories. That’s what I need to keep my organ systems functioning well even if I were at complete rest for 24 hours. If I do anything at all, but am mostly sedentary, my total caloric needs are just 1400 calories per day. That’s why I write a lot about low calorie diets. I have to watch what I eat and make sure I get the exercise or other physical activity I need. Not being vigilant can mean putting on weight FAST.

Fortunately, I’ve learned many things over the years in my work as a Nutritionist that helps me manage weight more easily. I’ll share some of the things I’ve discovered in recent years that have helped me a LOT. Maybe you’ll find a tip or two that will work for you. I’ll also share some of the ways I could improve.

Some Lessons Learned and Heeded

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned with respect to what I have on hand to eat is the need to have “enough” lean or low calorie protein foods. Striking the right balance is a bit of a challenge because if I have too much on hand, I end up with waste. Not having enough means I may not get the protein I prefer to have to not only meet my basic needs with respect to physiology but also to keep me feeling full and satisfied.

At the beginning of each week I decide which lean protein foods I will be purchasing. Most of the protein foods I buy will get incorporated into meals. This might include a lean cut of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or beans.

I also have protein foods for quick, easy, and nutritious low calorie snacks. One week it might be a carton of low fat cottage cheese. Another week it might be lean slices of chicken or turkey. Or I might choose to boil 4-5 eggs at the beginning of the week to have hard-boiled eggs readily available in the refrigerator. There are plenty of other choices but these are some of my current favorites. Having some kind of quick-to-eat lean protein matters.

In addition to having lean protein available for meals and snacks, I need to have other healthy low calorie snack foods on hand such as fruit or raw cut veggies. Something else I’ve been enjoying recently are my own homemade nutrition bars made of peanut butter, dried fruit, oatmeal, a little honey, seeds, and sometimes nuts.

Although I like these bars, I’m still experimenting with coming up with the right mix of ingredients. I make each bar small to keep the calorie count down. I find them to be very satisfying as well as nutritious. I also keep one or two small commercially prepared snack bars such as Larabars in my purse. This way I have something handy to eat if I’m away from home and hunger hits but there’s nothing available that’s low calorie or healthy.

Best Nutrition Bars for Women: Part One

Another tip is to avoid having tempting snack foods at my desk. Having something available for those times when I’m too busy to break away to eat properly is important. BUT if I have too much of what I like, I can easily get carried away eating it at times when I’m not necessarily hungry.

I keep a small amount of almonds and a carton or two of soymilk near my desk but in a location I cannot see. I only rely on these if I am actually hungry but cannot stop work to go eat.

Here are a few more changes I’ve made in recent years:

I now eat whole fruit most of the time rather than drink juice. For example, I gave up on drinking orange juice quite a while ago because I get more dietary fiber and other nutrients when I eat a whole orange.

When eating out I’ve learned to look for lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry, or fish without breading or high calorie sauces. In addition, I choose to substitute the carb part of the meal such as white potatoes, white rice, or pasta with an extra serving of veggies. If the portion size is very big, I’ll only eat half and take the rest home. By doing these things it helps me to cut down on calories and lowers my overall carb intake for the day.

I do plan for one or two cheat meals each week when I am allowed to have whatever I want. If you try this strategy, I encourage you to plan for something that’s really tasty and satisfying (otherwise why bother?). In addition, you need to eat slowly so that you recognize when you are full and stop before overeating!

What have YOU learned about yourself or your way of eating that is making things easier for you now? Please share!

My Ongoing Challenges

The one challenge I struggle with more than anything else is overestimating how many calories I burn when I exercise. By doing this I have a tendency to allow myself to eat larger portions and less than healthy foods because I THINK I have burned lots of calories.

Something I experimented with this past year to avoid this problem is the BodyMedia Fit armband. In a previous article, I shared how much I learned about the calories I burn each day. What an eye opener! When I stop wearing the armband, in just a short 2-3 months I begin to forget. I may need to wear the armband for a few days 2-3 times a year as a gentle reminder of my caloric needs.

Something else I find to be very helpful if I actually use it is a pedometer.

I also need to work on limiting the number of potential treats and less than healthy foods in my house. I do buy some of these items but my dear husband tends to bring home more of the things I would rather not have around. My current solution is to at least put the food where I do not see it every time I walk into the kitchen!

What kinds of things are you struggling with? Would you be so kind as to let me know in the comments? Thanks!

Novel Idea for Motivation

I came across an intriguing idea in a USA Today article for weight loss motivation. The tip was to hang up a pair of skinny jeans in a place you see often, possibly even the kitchen! Now this could work for any outfit that you’d like to fit into soon. Choose one that might fit better with the loss of just a few pounds (1-5). I think that’s a creative idea!

For more ideas on doing what works for YOU, you may want to read the article Weight Loss Advice: Tips from Others that I wrote not too long ago.

O.K. these are just a sampling of my recent experiences and ideas. I hope I’ve inspired you enough to get you thinking about the past year with respect to what is working for you and what isn’t when it comes to achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. What might you change?

Wishing you the very best for Happy Holidays! I will be off Christmas week visiting my mother and other family. I hope to be back publishing sometime the first week of January. Happy New Year!

As we near the last few weeks of the year, I wanted to be sure to share some important resources with you. For one thing it’s the holiday season and if you are like me, you may need all the tips you can get to navigate the next 6 weeks without overeating. Also, as the weather gets colder you may want to be prepared to enjoy some warm, filling, nutritious, AND low calorie food. I have some ideas for you and I have other resources I’d like to pass on that are valuable any time of the year.

It's Hard to Resist Holiday Bread and Other Goodies

Holiday Eating Tips

Last year I decided to search for the very best articles providing tips on how to minimize weight gain over the holidays. It is possible you may have to put weight loss on hold for a little while but there’s no need to put on any weight. You succeed by having strategies to avoid overeating and to minimize problems from the occasional extra calories.

The article has a long list of ideas with links for further information! Do take a moment to look over the possibilities. I believe there will be a new and helpful idea for just about anyone.

Think Turkey past the Holiday Season!

There are so many ways to enjoy lean and nutritious turkey meat in a low calorie diet. Take advantage of some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey to prepare a variety of recipes. Or simply learn why turkey is such a nutritious choice and what to look for whether you are buying lean cuts of turkey meat or ground turkey any time of the year.

Low Calorie Oatmeal for Breakfast

When I have the time I enjoy coming up with new recipe ideas to add a little variety to my usual standbys. Last year I spent some time experimenting with preparing oatmeal for breakfast in a variety of ways.

If you get a chance don’t miss my recipe for Creamy Pumpkin Oatmeal. How I came up with this recipe is a bit humorous but no matter. I’m glad I did. Hmm…That reminds me I think I have a bit of leftover canned pumpkin that needs to be used up. Guess I’ll be making pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow!

Oh yes, I have one more tip. Whenever you read an article on my site you might want to take a moment to read the comments as well. I have great visitors who leave lots of helpful tips and suggestions.

Vegetables for Breakfast? Healthy Low Calorie and GOOD!

Just about anyone offering a legitimate diet plan agrees non-starchy vegetables are important in a weight loss diet. I agree!

I’m always pushing veggies. They can make such a difference not only with weight loss but also to improve your overall health. With the exception of beans, non-starchy vegetables are best. Simply avoid using too much fat or oil in cooking and refrain from adding high calorie butter, margarine, or sauces.

One time of the day when few people think in terms of veggies is breakfast. However, there are lots of easy ways to sneak a few more  into your day by including veggies for breakfast in your meal planning. Take a look at my ideas!

Database for Added Sugar in Selected Foods (USDA)

The next two resources are a bit on the older side but still valuable. Both are pdfs that provide data on food and added sugars in both whole foods and commercially prepared processed foods. The USDA version is an excellent overview of both.

If you take a look and simply scan the right hand column, the foods with the highest amount of added sugars will jump right out. It is a great reminder for why you want to limit processed foods in your diet. Who needs all the extra sugar? A little natural sugar as found in fruits and vegetables is fine.

The Right Foods for You: Four Grams of Sugar or Less

This publication by the grocery store chain Publix will give you the names of commercial products with no more than 5 grams of added sugar. That may sound like quite a bit of sugar (4 grams of sugar equals about 1 tsp.) and it is, but it’s an improvement over so many processed foods on the market.

The list may not include all the same products available where you shop but it might get you thinking about whether or not you have been making the best choices. Do you know any other grocery store chains that provide a similar resource? Sure would be helpful.

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O.K. in the spirit of sharing, would you tell me about some of your favorite resources online? Thanks! Although I do my best to keep tabs on the best resources I come across on the internet, it’s an awfully big place and I’m sure there are some I’ve not yet found.

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, do give yourself enough of a break to enjoy the holiday food without going overboard. Remember to not overfill your plate. Take only your favorite food. And eat slowly. Savor the food so you’ll know when you’ve had enough!

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Oh yes, one more thing. My daughter will be taking time away from her graduate studies to be with us for the Thanksgiving holidays. I do not plan on publishing an article at the end of the week. I’m doing this in part to enjoy the time with my husband and daughter and also because I am hard at work writing a short book (digital book) that I hope to finish and have available for you by the end of the year. Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful week wherever you might be in the world! If you celebrate Thanksgiving, ENJOY!

All too often we are surrounded with food to snack on whether we need it or not. That’s a big part of the overweight problem we face as Americans. It’s just too easy to overeat. However, there are moments when you are actually hungry and you NEED a LITTLE something but the available healthy choices aren’t appealing.



What can you have to stay on track with your healthy  low calorie diet and yet satisfy your desire for something creamy or crunchy or salty or whatever the need might be? You might have a piece of fruit for your snack but what you’d rather have is a bag of potato chips. Maybe what you are really wanting is something salty. What might you eat instead?

I’ve started a list of  low calorie healthy snacks and treats that I hope you will help me expand on! I would like this list to help you and me identify which foods might be helpful to have around for those unpredictable moments when nothing else will do. It is possible to be prepared with appropriate choices! Because the alternative can mean wolfing down hundreds of unnecessary calories just because an equally satisfying lower calorie choice was not available!

My list includes mostly healthy snacks plus some treats. If you watch portion size you can keep each of these snacks to 150 calories or less.

[NOTE: Snacks will not only satisfy a need for a little something to tide you over between meals but they also provide a good source of much needed nutrients. Treats may have far greater appeal but typically provide little more than extra calories. The treats I’ve included here do provide somewhat more than just calories which is a plus given the low calorie count!]

Crunchy

Crackers:

• Reduced Fat Triscuits by Nabisco (120 calories for a serving of 7 crackers)
• Wasa Hearty Rye Crispbread (45 calories per serving)
• Kashi Mediterranean Brushetta Crackers (120 calories for 4 crackers)

Pickles (fresh/refrigerated pickles are best to reduce sodium)

Carrot/celery sticks

Chips (Limit the chips, fill up with low calorie salsa instead)

• baked pita chips
• baked potato chips
• rye crisps
• Athenos Whole Wheat Pita Chips (about 9 chips for slightly less than 100 calories)
• Plocky’s All Natural Corn, Cracked Whole Wheat, and Brown Rice Chips (129 calories for 1 ounce)
• Whole Grain Tortilla Chips (about 140 calories for 1 ounce)
• Terra Chips with 90% less salt

(NOTE: Veggie chips are not necessarily better/healthier than other chips – Check to see if vegetables are listed first on the ingredient list, then check the calories. Veggie chips may have as many or more than regular chips.)

Salty

Popcorn

Rice Cakes

Quaker Oats Rice Cakes with a little peanut butter

Pickles

Olives

Jerky

Oven roasted almonds by Blue Diamond with a touch of sea salt

Feta cheese sprinkled on low calorie cut veggies such as tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers,

Sweet

Small low calorie smoothie (You could have 1/2 of a Bright-Eyed and Blueberry Blend from Jamba Juice and share the other half with a friend for 140 calories.)

“pie-like” treat – cut up an apple or peach into slices, sprinkle with cinnamon and a LITTLE sugar, microwave for a minute or two

Low calorie cookies

• Petite Sunflower Seed Cookies
• Vanilla, Lemon, or Chocolate Midel cookies
• 12 animal crackers
• 2 Nabisco 100% Whole Grain Fig Newton Cookies (100 calories for 2)

Fruit

-Blueberries/Raspberries/Blackberries/etc.

-2-3 dried plums or figs

-25 grapes

Sour

Blueberry Pomegranate real fruit twists (100 calories for 15 twists, Archer Farms)

Dill pickles

Olives

Spicy

Green Tabasco Sauce on veggies (cherry tomatoes halved, small pieces of cucumber or zucchini, etc.)

Hot and spicy salsa

Creamy

Low Fat Greek yogurt with a little honey or caramel

Instant (homemade) oatmeal with berries and nuts (Homemade Instant Oatmeal)

Raspberries/Strawberries/Blackberries/Blueberries mixed into plain low fat yogurt

Banana with 1 oz. dark chocolate – Cut lengthwise slit in banana without cutting all the way through, insert chocolate pieces in slit, microwave for a minute or so till chocolate melts

½ cup Hummus

Tuna Fish Salad with Avocado slices

-Strawberry Low fat Frozen Yogurt Bars (60 calories each, Weight Watchers)

Skinny Cow Fudge Bars (100 calories per bar)

(I haven’t tried the other Weight Watcher’s bars. Are they creamy also? Please comment below and let me know.)

Chocolate Mousse Bars (60 calories each, Weight Watchers)

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Bars (80 calories each, Weight Watchers)

1% Cottage Cheese (81 calories for ½ cup)

Snack pack low calorie pudding

Almond Milk

1 cup Amy’s Low Fat Butternut Squash Soup (100 calories)

1 cup Amy’s Low Fat Cream of Tomato Soup (100 calories)

Yogurt, Thick and Creamy, Yoplait Light (100 calories per container, includes an artificial sweetener*)

Light Fit n’ Creamy, Dannon (100 calories per container, includes an artificial sweeter*)

*See Artificial Sweeteners for Weight Loss: Do They Work?

Thirsty/Juicy/Refreshing

Iced tea with a squeeze of lemon juice

Iced coffee with nonfat milk

Whole Fresh Orange

Mandarin Orange slices

Frozen grapes/blueberries/raspberries/cherries/etc. (to enjoy when the weather is warm)

Fresh juicy peaches, plums, grapes, watermelon, etc.

Ripe Mango, sliced (55 calories for ½ cup)

Fresh Pineapple, cut pieces (75 calories per cup)

O.K., I’ve shared all the ideas I can come up with for the moment. Please jump in the conversation and share your thoughts about what might be added to the list of  low calorie healthy snacks. It will help all the many thousands of readers who visit my site. Thank you!!

Till next time, watch those calories, eat healthy foods, and allow yourself to have occasional treats!

A couple of years ago or more I wrote about the importance of keeping records for effective weight loss. Today, while reviewing this article, I accidentally deleted it from the website! So I’ve decided to update the original information and post it again. Keeping records is an important topic because it matters!

Rather than theorize or speculate as to which strategies are most beneficial with weight loss, there have been a number of studies that analyzed what has actually worked. Researchers have followed the weight loss and maintenance efforts of people who have successfully met their weight loss goals and kept the weight off.

Self-awareness has emerged as a common theme in effective weight loss success stories. This was determined to be true regardless of whether someone participated in a professionally led behavioral weight loss program, a do-it-yourself program, or a commercial weight loss program. The strategy most often mentioned for improving self-awareness is record keeping. There seem to be three key record keeping techniques.

Food Records/Food Diaries

Keeping food records or a food diary does take time and effort. I would agree with many others in saying that it can be tedious! But don’t get discouraged at the mere thought. Taking the time to complete a food record for at least 2-3 days and preferably longer really matters.

The majority of participants in the National Weight Control Registry say they kept some form of food records while dieting. This registry tracks more than 5,000 individuals who have succeeded with long-term weight loss. Many of these individuals have continued to keep some form of food record for maintenance.

In June of 2008, the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research released a study that measured the significance of keeping food records for dieters. The results were astonishing! Participants in the study who kept daily food diaries lost TWICE the weight or MORE compared with the individuals who did not keep records. (About 2/3 of the participants lost 9 pounds or so in 6 months. Those who kept a food diary lost as much as 20 pounds! To read more about this study see: Food Diaries are Best for Weight Loss Success )

If time constraints or motivation make keeping a food diary a difficult choice, just keep it simple. A basic food record will help. Keep track of what you eat, how much, and the calorie count for a minimum of 2-3 days. The extras that might be included with a food diary such as where you eat, the circumstances, your feelings, and more can be revealing but are not essential.

Pedometers

Keeping track of your physical activity can be surprisingly helpful. One of the easiest ways to do this is to wear a pedometer. Pedometers track the number of steps you take each day. Many research studies have demonstrated that individuals who wear pedometers are more likely to take additional steps each day than those not wearing a pedometer.

Health professionals recommend setting a goal to walk a minimum of 6,000 to 10,000 steps each day for better health. This translates to approximately 3 to 5 miles. A mile is the equivalent of about 2000 steps. By wearing a pedometer you get feedback on how you are doing and that seems to be motivating. Taking more steps by parking further away from your destination, taking stairs rather than escalators or elevators, or walking to the desk of an office co-worker rather than sending an email means more steps. More steps, burns more calories.

Tracking Body Weight

Something else common to those who have successfully lost weight is tracking body weight with daily weighing on a bathroom scale. I find this to be quite interesting because it goes counter to what I would recommend for a variety of reasons. For example, body weight fluctuates regularly with changes in water weight. That can be discouraging! It is one of the reasons I believe using a body fat monitor and weight scale can be more helpful than a standard weight scale. (See Body Fat Scales ) Either way, the research results speak for themselves. Evidently getting daily feedback helps people to stay on track.

If you are seeking effective weight loss strategies, record keeping may be something you want to try. The three forms of record keeping I’ve mentioned may greatly enhance your chances for weight loss success! Good luck.

Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy food!