Practical tips to achieve a healthier lifestyle
1. Shopping
a. Shop for food after eating
b. Shop fro a list
c. Avoid ready-to-eat foods
2. Planning
a. Plan to limit food
b. Substitute exercise for snacking
c. Eat meals and snacks at scheduled times
d. Don’t accept food offered by others
e. Make healthy substitutions for high fat ingredients when cooking
3. Activities
a. Store food out of sight
b. Avoid other activity while eating
c. Use smaller dishes and utensils
4. Holidays and Parties
a. Drink fewer alcoholic beverages
b. Plan eating habits before party
c. Eat a low calorie snack before party
d. Practice a polite way to decline food
e. Choose the low fat, low calorie options available
f. Don’t get discouraged by the occasional setback
5. Eating Behavior
a. Put fork down between bites
b. Prepare foods one portion at a time
c. Leave some food on your plate
d. Pause in the middle of the meal
6. Self-Monitoring
a. Keep a nutrition log that includes:
i. Type and amount of food
ii. Caloric totals
iii. Optional: time, place, mood
b. Weigh yourself frequently
7. Education
a. Use nutrition log to identify areas of improvement
b. Make small changes that you can continue
c. Learn nutritional values of foods
d. Decrease fat intake and increase complex carbohydrates
8. Dining out
a. Learn to identify and avoid high fat, high calorie options
b. Avoid menu options that contain the words:
i. Alfredo
ii. Au gratin
iii. Batter Dipped
iv. Béarnaise
v. Béchamel
vi. Escalloped
vii. Beurre Blanc
viii. Breaded
ix. Creamy
x. Crispy
xi. En croute
xii. Flaky
xiii. Fried
xiv. Hollandaise
xv. Parmigana
xvi. Puffed
xvii. Sautéed
xviii. Tempura
c. Choose dishes described as follows:
i. Baked
ii. Smoked
iii. Flame-cooked
iv. Broiled
v. Steamed
vi. Poached
vii. Roasted
viii. Marinara
ix. Grilled
d. Ask for dished to be prepared without butter or oil
e. Ask for dressings on the side
9. Cognitive Restructuring
a. Avoid setting unrealistic goals
b. Focus on the progress, not shortcomings
c. Avoid saying things like “always” and “never”
d. Counter negative thoughts with rational restatements
e. Set weight goals
10. Physical activity:
a. Increase routine activity
b. Increase use of stairs
c. Keep records of activity
d. Begin an exercise program
e. Increase exercise gradually
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