Weight Reduction

Nutrition

• Use the recipe makeover tips to do a “nutritional makeover” on  some of your high fat/calorie recipes.
• Have a warm liquid before you eat such as mulled cider, soup or tea. Warm liquids give us a feeling of satiety which lessens our appetite.
• Take a plate  of the least calorie laden foods first.  Eat slowly and drink a glass of water.  Wait 15 minutes before considering going back for seconds.
• When you eat your meal try this mental exercise  which  has been used as a strategy to slow down the eating process: Take time to taste the food and think of what it took to get it to the table from its origins.
• Plan an activity for before or after the meal such as a group walk, touch football, dancing, Frisbee etc. to burn some calories.
• This week try to add at least 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Walking is a great, easy and convenient addition to any exercise plan and a good activity  to start with if you don’t already exercise. Just make a pledge to do something, even if it is walking up and down the stairs every time you go from floor to floor in your  office building. 

Fiber – It’s not just for the elderly!

Adding whole grains to your diet have enumerable health benefits and can easily be incorporated into everyday eating. It is recommended that we get at least 25 grams of fiber a day. Make sure that you increase your water intake when you increase your fiber. Read the article from the Mayo Clinic explaining whole grains and offering strategies to include them in your diet.

 Tips

• Toss some granola or nuts into your yogurt or cereal as well as on your toast with maybe a little peanut butter.
• Add nuts and dried fruits to your vegetable dishes or salads.
• Try some whole wheat pastas next time you shop.
• Read the labels and compare grams of fiber in various cereals and breads.
• Instead of potatoes or rice, try bulgur, quinoa or barley as a side dish. See recipes below.

For additional information, visit Weight Reduction Resources.

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