Simple switches

There is something I learned over the years and I have always tried to incorporate into my life. It's that the simplest switches can make the world of difference. This thought came into my mind today after realizing that in order to loose weight, I am not only going to need to exercise more, but I need to also make some changes in my diet (for those of you who didn't know, I am also Look Girl in the Kitchen and I love to cook and eat!). One of the biggest challenges to eating healthier is finding substitutions for existing foods in your diet. Here are some tips to make the transition easier, and some that I am going to try to stick to:

• Use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches. You’ll get lots of flavor with much fewer calories and fat. Try a dijon or deli style for even more punch.
  
  
• Select whole wheat bread over white bread. But be sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting whole grains, not just colored white bread.
  
  
• Eat the white meat of turkey or chicken, which is lower in fat than dark meat, red meat and pork. Animal fat is the number one dietary source of unhealthy saturated fat.
  
  
• Start using lean ground beef or turkey breast, pork tenderloin or fish instead of high-fat cuts of meat.
  
  
• Change your cooking methods. Bake, grill or broil your meals instead of frying. Use non-stick sprays—or better yet, non-stick pans—instead of oil.
  
  

• Don't drink your calories. Eat a whole orange instead of drinking a glass of juice, for example. Real food is usually more filling and more nutritious than juices, fruit drinks, and other high-calorie beverages.
  
  
• Serve sauces and dressings on the side. Dip your fork into the sauce, then dip your fork into the food. You’ll still have the flavor but with fewer calories.
  
  
• Order vegetables on the side instead of fries. Flavor them with lemon juice or herbs instead of butter.
  
  
• Snack on fruit and nuts instead of sugary treats. The fiber, protein and healthy fats in this combo will sustain you to your next meal and you won’t have the energy slump that comes after eating candy.
  
  
• Reduce your portion size. Most people will eat whatever amount of food is in front of them, so start putting your meals on smaller plates. You will be just as satisfied because your mind "sees" that you’re eating a full plate of food.

Satiety is the key

The last post about fulfilling your cravings got me thinking about how much snacking I've been doing recently. For some reason my meals just aren't satisfying me enough to make it to the next meal; it's not giving me satiety, so I learned. So after some researching, here are some great tips in how to stay full longer (though several I knew already, I did learn a bit!), mainly from SparkPeople articles:


• H2O Goes in the Food — Just drinking a glass of water along with the meal does not provide the same degree of satiety. Research has shown that to reduce hunger and boost fullness, the water has to be in the food. If the food you eat contains the water, it will stay in the stomach longer while the food is being digested. The following are all water-rich food choices with about 90% bound water.

• EAT MORE broth-based soups like chicken broth and vegetable broth.
• EAT MORE leafy greens like lettuce, baby spinach and mixed salad greens with fat-free dressing.
• EAT MORE fruits like apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, strawberries and watermelon.
• EAT MORE non-starchy vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes and winter squash.
• TIP: Start your meal with a bowl of broth-based soup or low-calorie leafy green salad to fill up on fewer calories. Turn to non-starchy vegetables when you get the munchies.

• Fill Up on Fiber — Fiber contains only 1.5 to 2.5 calories per gram, while other carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. Fiber-rich foods also necessitate more chewing and slow the passage of food through the digestive tract. The fiber in carbohydrates helps prevent those peaks and valleys in blood sugar levels that can cause cravings and poor food choices.

• EAT MORE whole grains, fruits and vegetables with skins, beans, lentils and legumes. Aim for 25-35 grams each day.
• TIP: Avoid refined carbohydrates (think whites). When eaten alone, refined and simple carbohydrates can wreak havoc on satiety by causing rises and falls in blood sugar which trigger hunger every few hours.

• Lean on Protein — Studies suggest that protein appears to help prolong satiety more than carbohydrates or fat can. Meeting your protein needs is important, but eating more protein than your body needs will not boost your metabolism (ahem, body builders).

• EAT MORE lean protein from meats, chicken, seafood, low-fat dairy, legumes, lentils and soy products.
• TIP: Prepare your meat using low-fat cooking methods like grilling and baking.

• Fit in the Fat and Go Nuts — Cutting fat intake reduces the calorie density of a food. However, if you go too low in fat you won’t enjoy the flavor, texture or satiety of your food. Plus dietary fat is essential for staying healthy. Nuts are a great fat because of their protein and fiber content. A small handful of these nutritious nuggets will often hold you over until your next meal. Of course, portion control is important because nuts and seeds are high density foods.

• EAT ENOUGH fat to meet the fat recommendations in your diet. This will bring the pleasure and satisfaction back to your meals so you’re less likely to overeat later.
• CHOOSE nuts like peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews and skip the macadamia. Even seeds — like pumpkin and sunflower — make good choices.
• TIP: Keep your portions in check! One serving of nuts or seeds is about the size of a golf ball. Also, eliminate fat where you don’t need it, opting for reduced fat foods instead of full fat versions and limit saturated and trans fats. We understand that Fat Free is usually not very tasty.
  

• Drink Up! — Drinking plain old water can help with your weight management program, especially if you are substituting calorie-containing beverages like regular soda, juice and sweetened coffee for water, which is healthy and calorie-free. For some people, drinking water throughout the day also keeps their hands busy so that they’re less likely to eat out of habit or boredom.

• DRINK MORE water throughout the day, aiming for about 8-10 cups total. Some calorie-free beverages can make good choices, but look at the labels first.
• TIP: Most people don’t pay attention to the number of calories they drink, and that can hurt your weight loss efforts. Limit your intake of caloric beverages to less than 200 calories each day.

• As Tim Gunn Says, Make It Work — It's important to spread these satisfying foods throughout the day into designated meals and snacks. Even better, slow down and savor every bite. Research has shown that it can take 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you have reached satiety. So take your time and enjoy every delicious bite along the way.

No need to deprive yourself

Eating a healthier diet doesn’t have to mean deprivation. You don’t have to cut out your favorite foods completely — you just have to make a few changes. Treat yourself to a mini chocolate chip cookie instead of a full-sized one, for example (or just one instead of three!). By trying to eat the most nutritious foods possible, you are creating a healthy lifestyle that will help you reach your best weight. TIP: If you are craving something and trying to get your mind off of it by eating a healthier option, you're probably going to still have that initial craving and will end up eating both items, so you should just listen to your body from the beginning. And if you're going to bake, Splenda is an amazing sugar and brown sugar alternative.

An apple a day - or three

If you simply don't like broccoli, then vowing to eat it more often is quite unrealistic. Your goal really should be increasing the number of vegetables you eat each day, and it's as easy as finding a few different ones that you can painlessly work into your diet. To get the most nutrients for your bite, select veggies in a variety of colors: dark green, red, orange etc. SparkPeople gives some great examples, such as adding some shredded carrots to your muffin batter or top your pizza with fresh tomatoes. Or, if you know you need to eat more fruit, start by adding some sliced bananas or blueberries to your cereal in the morning or bake an apple with a bit of brown sugar for a yummy, low-cal dessert. Fresh berries and yogurt make a nice, light breakfast or snack, too. The odd thing is, as you get used to these new substitutions and additions, you'll find that your preferences actually change — when you cut out high-sugar, high-fat goodies, your cravings will actually go away in time. Your body wants healthy food!

Keeping yourself in check

Before you start making any drastic changes to your diet, take some time to observe your current eating habits. Track everything that goes in your mouth, including drinks and treats, no matter how small for about a week or two. Keeping a food journal will really open your eyes — for example, realizing that you ate 10 cookies over the course of the week might make you think twice before reaching into the cookie jar again tonight. You might not realize how bad your present eating habits are until you see an unhealthy pattern right there in black and white — or just maybe, you're doing everything right and you just need to change up your exercise routine. You'll figure it out once it's right there in front of you!

Slow and steady does win the race

Now that we're into February and most people have already forgotten their New Year's resolutions, let's think of some ways to make loosing weight and being healthier and more fit into out lifestyles. Studies have shown — and so have most American's waistlines — that fad diets don't work: People may stick to them for a week or even a few months, but as soon as they cheat just one time, they are on a downward spiral to upward poundage. REMEMBER: Eating healthier doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you want to adopt healthy habits that will last, then the easiest way to do it is by making small, gradual changes. Don’t expect too much from yourself too soon — it takes about a month for any new action to become habit. More tips to come, so keep your eyes open.